FR
by DeltaViolet21
Summary: .
1. Chapter 1: An Intersecting Fate

Fantasy's Reality

Note: Anything looking like *this* indicates thought

Anything looking like "this" indicates speech

Chapter 1: An Intersecting Fate

*This insomnia problem is starting to get old.* Bryce thought. How many times had he walked the dog in the middle of the night now? At least there was no noise from the neighbors. They would party so frequently that it was a wonder the cops were never called. He turned the corner and headed for the end of the street. Looking up at the stars, he sighed.

*Why is the world so cold and broken?*

Bryce was a fifteen year old boy. He had brown hair, had average height and weight. Nothing about him seemed different. He just wished someone seemed to notice he was there. Feeling all alone was something Bryce always dreamed of changing, but it felt impossible. There wasn't any support at all. His parents were working, sleeping, or doing something somewhere else…not that it mattered. They had left Bryce to fend for himself ever since he was ten years old. He didn't even have any brothers or sisters to talk to. He'd rather be able to have siblings to talk to than being alone, even if they did come with the occasional fight.

School was just as unsupportive as his family. Teachers… they just were there because they couldn't find other jobs. It was clear their heart wasn't in their job…not even remotely. Bryce was the loner, far away from the others…just stuck watching on the outside. That was old news though…he always was the one sitting by himself.

Bryce continued to watch the road move slowly as the dog continued at its slow pace. That was fine with him; he was in no hurry to get back to the house. Insomnia wasn't helpful…but Bryce knew why he had that condition. With no friends or anyone to talk to or do anything with him, Bryce was usually bored. Homework was always finished quickly, and even with a good imagination from all the videogames he played, he still felt as if his life lacked excitement. So, like most people with free time, he slept during the day occasionally, making his body clock out of whack. Finally he managed to lift his head up and look at the sky, looking at all of the constellations. He knew several from spending several nights looking them up on the internet and reading the mythical stories behind them all…though it would have been nice if someone had told him…

As Bryce continued to look into the sky, he noticed several light moving: a blimp, a plane…but one was moving in an odd zigzag pattern. It couldn't be a shooting star; however, it was falling, even if it was in a weird pattern. Once it got closer to the ground, Bryce noticed that it seemed to be headed to the field at the end of the street. Watching it fall straight downward, Bryce expected a loud crash and possibly an explosion. Instead, the light stopped right before touching the ground, and faded away, leaving a figure to fall a few feet to the ground.

Normally, Bryce would have thought he was imagining things, but this… it seemed too real, so he slowly walked forward, tying the dog's leash to a nearby tree. He glanced around. Nobody else had heard or seen any of what had just happened. Of course, it was about midnight. Once he was a few feet from the unconscious figure, he stopped.

"No possible way." He breathed. The figure in the small bushes looked to be real. Its face resembled Anubis, Egyptian lord of the dead, but its face was blue, with a black mask-like skin around its eyes. There were four appendages on the back of its head as well. The creature had blue shoulders and black paws, with a spike extending from each arm. There was another spike extending out of its yellow chest. It also had blue thighs that almost resembled pants, a long blue tail with a scythe-like tip, and black feet. There was no mistaking it…this was the aura Pokémon: Lucario.

He knelt down and carefully caressed the Pokémon's cheek. The Pokémon was real and breathing… however, something was wrong. Lucario's blue fur felt cold, and it didn't wake up upon his touch.

*What kind of mess did this Pokémon get itself into?* Bryce thought. He knew he had several choices right now. While most people would have called the cops or something irrational, Bryce knew about the world of Pokémon. He also knew that if this Lucario was caught, it was as good as dead. It would be taken to a testing lab for…who knows what.

Would it be safe with him? Yes, but his parents couldn't know. Whether this Lucario wanted to stay with him or not was its choice, but it deserved a fighting chance here. After a little more thought, he finally put his arms under it and slowly scooped Lucario up. At this, the dog began to bark.

"Quiet!" Bryce hissed at him. "We don't need the neighbors to wake up at this hour."

He walked back to where the dog was tied up and slipped the leash over his shoulder and under his arm, tying it into a knot. As he carried Lucario back to his house, he noticed a pair of headlights turning onto his street…cops. They would sometimes check up on a house around here to make sure they weren't causing trouble. While Bryce agreed that was a good idea, he could well imagine the interrogation from carrying an unknown creature in his arms. He ducked behind a huge set of bushes, waiting for them to pass. Unfortunately, a cat came walking by just as the police were passing right next to the bush he was hidden in. Bryce saw the cat walking closer and set Lucario down and put his hand over the dog's muzzle, stopping it from going into a frenzy of barking. He held his breath as he watched the lone car pass by. Finally, the coast was clear. Bryce stood and looked around before picking the Pokémon back up and continued the rest of the walk back to his house.

Slowly, he turned the knob into the house and tiptoed inside. He set Lucario down onto the couch and carefully walked past his parent's room into the garage. After he took the leash off the dog and locked it up, Bryce walked back to where he left Lucario. Knowing he couldn't leave it there, he picked it up one last time and carried it into his room and placed it on his bed. He quietly shut the door and let out a huge sigh of relief.

Focusing his attention back to the Lucario, he noticed that it looked worn out, like it hadn't slept in days. It appeared to be taller than average, almost as tall as he was. He did his best to clean off all the dirt from being set on the ground. Other than that, there wasn't much he could do. He wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with the Pokémon and he didn't have any potions or anything from the games. He lifted Lucario high enough to pull the covers back before setting it back down. Bryce adjusted the pillow to cushion its head and pulled the covers over it. The aura Pokémon sighed and smiled softly. It was just tired…Bryce sighed in relief.

*It looks like rest is all Lucario needs.*

He stayed awake for the rest of the night, caring for Lucario as best as he could. As early morning approached, Lucario began to stir, and then opened its eyes…

_Author's Notes: For people who have read chapter 1 before, you know this has been redone because it was very short. I'll be redoing the first 15 chapter s or so, but I'll still be working on new ones as well. Hope people who just started reading enjoy this. _


	2. Chapter 2: Through the Veil

Chapter 2: Through the Veil

*Ugh… What happened?* Lucario thought as the world around it became focused. She was in a small room with forest green walls, a black curtain blocking the window, a desk with some electronic device next to it, a computer, and a closet with clothes in it. Once Lucario propped itself up, it realized that it was lying on a bed. As the Pokémon scanned its surroundings, a voice spoke from the doorway as the door shut softly.

"Are you okay?" Bryce stepped forward, and looked at Lucario as if it were an alien. The aura Pokémon looked at him, scanning his aura as best it could. There was no malice, just concern and sorrow…a lot of sorrow. Lucario finally spoke.

"I've been better."

By the sound of the Lucario's voice, Bryce could tell she was female, and upon looking at him he could see that she also had purple eyes instead of red. He hadn't seen her eyes since she had been asleep for the better of ten hours. Fortunately it was summer, so he was able to keep watch over her during the early morning.

"Do you know what I am?" she asked curiously.

He nodded. "A Lucario, the Aura Pokémon, typically around 3' 11" in height, and they have the ability to see and use aura, and are able to speak telepathically." He paused. "How in the world did you get here?"

"I volunteered to go see other worlds and establish what their people are like." She responded. "My world is becoming filled with several Pokémon, and so we're looking for places to spread out. Scientists and engineers are helping us by looking into other worlds that would sustain all types of Pokémon. As precaution, some of us were sent to places…like here… to see if it truly is safe. The travel here took a lot of strain on the body… much more than I thought."

Bryce considered this for a moment. Earth's track record was against something like this. Earth started a world war just because one archduke was killed. There was almost always a civil war somewhere…even most television shows, videogames and books had some kind of war…

"It's a good thing I found you, then. Pokémon here are something of a fantasy." Bryce explained carefully. "Some people have known about Pokémon, but there aren't actually any here, as you already know." He walked over to a chair and sat down, leaning back slightly. "Honestly, I think you're looking at the wrong world. I know some people wouldn't mind at all, but most would resort to violence immediately."

She sighed. Though most people would be frightened by an unknown creature, to do something like kill her before even giving her a chance…

"… However, if you want to stay here to make your own judgment, you'll need to be careful. If you need a place to stay…as long as you're out of sight of my parents, you'll be okay."

Lucario looked up at Bryce. "And you're all right with me staying here?"

He looked at her questioningly, "You...care what I think?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Sorry." Bryce replied, "People aren't exactly…known for caring… sometimes not even your own family." He looked away. "It's not my house or my choice, but I would be okay to see you stay and help you with your questions."

"Then I'll stay." Lucario replied.

He nodded. "By the way, I thought Lucario's eyes are normally red…why are yours purple?"

"I don't know," she said sadly. Bryce knew he had struck a nerve without meaning to.

"I didn't mean to bring up painful memories…"

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean to. It's just…I've been teased for as long as I can remember. That's why I said I would go to other worlds, and maybe find someone who likes me for who I am, not what I look like."

"I'm sorry." Bryce apologized. He knew that feeling all too well… "Don't worry about it here though. I would never tease someone on how they look...I've had my fair share of being teased."

*Besides, you shouldn't care what others think of you. They're just humans…I suppose that nature is only human…*

"I'm guessing that coming here altered your height. You look to be about my height."

She nodded. "I expected physical changes from going to a new place. Actually, humans in my world are fairly short."

It wasn't until then Bryce remembered she hadn't eaten for at least ten hours. He pointed to the door behind him. "Feel like eating? It may not be what you're used to, but there is one thing I know you'll like."

She smiled and nodded. "Sounds good."

He extended his hand to help her up. She took it, but once she stood up, Lucario lost her balance. Bryce quickly put an arm around her back to prevent her falling onto the wood bracing. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Bryce withdrew his arm. She giggled slightly and he blushed slightly, shifting his gaze elsewhere.

"Sorry, I haven't been standing up for a while." Lucario replied.

"It's fine, I'd probably be unstable too." Bryce said, still looking away. "I'll lead you to the kitchen, provided you can walk okay."

She nodded, following him out the room and down the hall.

*Maybe there's another reason why I was sent here…*

_Author's Notes: I know the second half of this chapter is about the same. I just wanted more detail in the beginning and as to why Lucario is on Earth. Please continue to read and review!_


	3. Chapter 3: Communication

Chapter 3: Communication

_An hour later…_

"How did you know I would like this?" Lucario asked while eating a chocolate bar.

Bryce shrugged. "Lucky guess. So you came here to figure out what earth and the people are like?"

She thought a moment. "Yes, but there's more to it. It's about what people here do, say, think, and other things that express who they are. The goal is to see if Pokémon and humans from here could live together."

"As wonderful as that would be, I doubt it could happen. Some people don't know what a Pokémon is, and even the portion that does will have only a few that could support company and have adequate living. There are some people out there who are 'good', but ultimately, I wouldn't see it happening." He paused. "But it may be something you can only figure out your way."

She tilted her head. "What do you mean by good?"

Bryce looked away. "There are horrors here that seem like they're normal, but it's just too evil here. There are people who murder, steal, destroy, vandalize, and things that you would never see where you live. But there are people who just want what's best for their families, friends, and country. There are people with good intentions, but in very few numbers. Shadow is the only one I trust."

"Shadow?"

A black cat jumped onto the kitchen table. Bryce looked at it.

"You know you can't be on the table, Shadow."

He scooped it up in his arms, stroking its head and emitting a low, soft purr. After a while he set it down. Noticing the Lucario, it bounded over to her. It sniffed her foot for a moment before rubbing up against her. She smiled.

"Wow, Shadow doesn't like anyone but me… and you, apparently." Bryce said. "Maybe it's something to do with people who have only cats for company are…" he trailed off.

"Are what?"

"…Lonely… seems like no human would care about anyone." Bryce finished.

She was starting to look depressed. "Let's forget it for now; you have a long time to figure out what you need to, um… I haven't even asked you your name."

"Pokémon in my world have names based on their traits." She replied.

Bryce thought. "Is it okay if I called you Violet? It's a name that female humans use, and it would fit well."

She looked away. "I don't know if I want to have a name based on what I look like." She turned to face him. "But Violet sounds like a beautiful name." She smiled.

Bryce just nodded.

"I bet you have a beautiful smile." Lucario said.

He looked unconcerned. "I haven't smiled a real smile in about seven years."

"Why not?" Violet asked.

Bryce knew there was no point in lying to her. She could read his aura and know what he was thinking, and he wanted someone to know the real him, and not base who he was as a person on who he looked like or what they _thought _they knew about him, just like her. He looked away. "There was no reason to. It seems like my family is never around or focused on something else. I don't need attention, but it would be nice if they acknowledged that I… existed." He paused. "Any friends I had either moved away due to their parent's jobs or whispered rumors behind my back, so those friends aren't my friends anymore. It seems like humans only care about themselves."

Bryce felt a warm paw grab his hand. "But I care about you." Violet said comfortingly.

He looked into her eyes to find the trace of a lie that he always saw before…but it wasn't there."Why?" He had thought that same thing over and over. As she replied, Bryce found the answer.

"Why not?"

That was it. Violet hugged him and in that moment, it started to become clear. He felt the nature of having a caring person to make sure you don't feel alone. After a few seconds, he returned the embrace.

"Thanks."

He knew that she cared about the real him. Violet went out of her way to find something or someone lost…something that had never been done before for him.

Violet knew that she cared for him. Bryce had saved her, watched over her, and gave her a home. He could have left her there, Bryce didn't even know her. Most important, she knew that he didn't save her because she was a Pokémon, or because she was different. It was because he cared about someone who needed help.

All of those thoughts seemed to course through them both, and then it disappeared when they let go, as if it vanished into a mist of thought.

_Author's Notes: I just corrected a few grammar errors, nothing else. _


	4. Chapter 4: Origin and Habit

Chapter 4: Origin and Habit

"Wait, how did you know about me?" Violet asked.

Bryce looked puzzled. "You mean how I knew you were a Pokémon and all of those other things?"

She nodded.

"To make a long story short, Pokémon are known in this world as creatures on a card, video game, or TV."

"I've heard of famous trainers being on TV, and there is a card game in our world for kids that don't have their own Pokémon yet, but in a… what was it?"

"A video game." He replied. "It's like an interactive TV where you can make characters do… just about anything."

Violet still looked confused.

"Maybe if I show you, it will make more sense." He said, leading her back to his room. There, he turned on his Wii, and the menu for the console appeared. He selected Super Smash Bros. 64 and the game started.

"So…they aren't real people, but whoever created…that," she said pointing at the Wii, "invented their own characters with their personalities."

"Yeah, that's actually spot on."

Violet looked somewhat upset. "I don't know if I want someone thinking they know me based on a figure that is the same Pokémon that is me."

"I know." Bryce replied. "I bet the real you is more full of life than some picture on a screen."

She blushed. "Thanks."

At that point, Bryce was distracted by looking at Violet, and Fox went skyrocketing due to being hit by a bomb from Ness.

"What? I thought I hit pause!" Bryce said.

Violet laughed. "Are you normally this bad?"

He laughed. *Not when I'm distracted.*

"Normally, I'm ok. I've had plenty of practice. Do you want to try?"

"I've never even heard of this stuff until five minutes ago."

Bryce thought a moment. "Well, that's what a teacher is for."

The two spent the rest of the day practicing every game he had. Violet was a fast learner, completing half of StarFox Adventures easily. At the end of the day, Violet could give most intermediate players a run for their money.

"That's natural talent. You're amazing." Bryce said. "And now if you ever go to one of these places, you'll have an idea of what to expect."

She smiled. "I don't plan to leave here for a long while."

Before he could stop himself, he said, "good," and smiled. Finally someone cared about him, and he didn't want to lose someone so wonderful after just meeting her. He looked at the clock.

"I didn't realize it was already 10:30pm. We should probably go to bed."

She nodded, taking a blanket and placing it on the ground.

"What are you doing? You're sleeping there." Bryce said, gesturing to his bed. "I don't mind sleeping on the ground."

"I could just sleep in the guest room…" she said.

"Trust me, you don't want to do that."

_Flashback_

Bryce opened the guest room, and a wave of dust flew into his face. He coughed for a long time before saying to himself, "That's going to need some work."

_End Flashback_

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" She said in one last attempt.

"Positive, as long as your okay, I'll be fine."

She smiled and hugged him tightly. "Thank you!"

"It's fine." He said, feeling her warm paws around his back.

In a few hours, Violet was asleep comfortably, but Bryce was awake, listing to music. Having insomnia meant Bryce tried several ideas on how to fall asleep, and listening to soft rock before sleeping seemed to work well most of the time. As the chorus of the song began, he felt something brush his shoulder. He looked to see Violet's paw hanging off the side of the bed. He carefully placed it back on the bed under the blanket. She grinned in her sleep. He smiled at her unconscious figure before whispering, "good night" before turning off his music and falling asleep.

_Author's Notes: …what? Don't give me that look. I'm a gamer; I've got to have SOMETHING related to videogames._


	5. Chapter 5: The Sound Of Music

Chapter 5: The Sound of Music

Throughout the entire week, Bryce showed Violet the wonders of video games and worked on the guest room at night for her. The following Monday, Bryce had gone to the store a few blocks down the street to get paint for repainting the guest room. He also managed to find something else….

Bryce entered the house to be greeted by Violet. It was strange to him…before she had arrived, he never expected a greeting or any form of contact with anyone, so he never knew what it was like to have someone expect him to be around… but with her, it was as if there was a gap in his life that had been filled.

"Close your eyes." He said.

"Sure."

He was pleased that she closed her eyes without questioning. She really did trust him. Maybe he could tell her…

But he forgot about it for now as he pulled a beautiful silk purple blanket out of one of the bags. The moment he had noticed it in the store, he thought of her and knew this was something that she would love.

"Ok, you can open your eyes now."

Bryce would have traded the world for the expression of happiness on her face. He knew that decision had paid off.

"It's beautiful." Violet said, feeling its texture. She looked up at him.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." She said, hugging him so tight that he could barely breathe. As much as Bryce loved Violet embracing him, he loved being able to breathe more. When she let go, she noticed he staggered lightly. Her expression faded.

"I'm sorry. It's just… nobody has just given me a gift for no reason…and I…"

"It's fine…" He started. "I…it's just that…before you…I…" He stopped mid sentence, turning away from her. *Why is this so hard to say? It was never a problem before…but I shouldn't leave her in the dark.*

Suddenly, he felt a warm paw on his shoulder. Just that small amount of care and concern from Violet caused him to turn around and embrace her tightly. It was strange…before she came to earth, he wouldn't have wanted to even come in contact with someone, but now, he not only enjoyed being held by her, he almost expected it. That warm embrace she provided made him feel secure…something he had never felt before.

"Before you…I had never…experienced a hug."

Violet was stunned. In her world, her family and friends would hug her all the time: for comfort, for thanks, and even just a greeting. But Bryce…for fifteen years, he was living alone…and that's truly what he was before she had met him. All those times where Bryce told her about not being a part of anything…he was never angry. He was lonely.

"All the times I saw others hug, I wondered why it made them feel better, like they couldn't face life alone. Now I realize you can't live alone, no matter how much you think you can. That's what friends are for. They're there to support you and be there for you. I had gotten so well at covering it up that others assumed I was okay…but inside, I was in agony."

Bryce ended the embrace and put his hands on her shoulders. "Violet…thank you. You've done what no one else has. You actually took time to find the real me, and because of your ability as a Pokémon, you know when I'm lying, so I can't hide from you… and I don't want to."

She wiped a tear away and smiled at him.

He chuckled. "Fine, if you won't do it, I will." Bryce said, pulling her into a hug. She was glad he was finding himself.

After a few moments he let Violet go. "I better put the rest of the stuff away."

He set the rest of the shopping in its assorted place, humming softly. All of a sudden, he turned to face Violet.

"I never did show you music, did I?" He asked.

Violet had heard the radio a few times, but she always had the tune in the back of her mind. "Not really."

"Well, in that case, I'll meet you outside." Bryce smiled as he left to get his IPod and stereo.

"Are you sure it's safe for me to be outside without being spotted?" Violet asked.

He nodded. "The only people that spy on others are our neighbors, but they're on vacation for a week."

Violet headed outside and sat in one of the lawn chairs. She felt glad that she wasn't only helping her world to find another place to live, but she was also helping Bryce by giving him a friend to talk to. He had always been a wonderful person at heart, and she was lucky enough to be the one to watch his transformation into someone who was alive and happy.

As Violet was thinking about Bryce, he walked outside. "One of the most important things to our society is the music. People write the lyrics based on what they feel and think, and with each choice in an instrument, a different emotion is displayed. With each note lies a different air about the song. And thus, different people listen to different songs."

After several songs drifted into the open area, Violet seemed like she was in another world, drifting in and out of focus as one song would end and another would begin. Her tail would move to the beat of each song. They spent the entire day listening to all types of music. She wouldn't have imagined anything like this could exist here. Soon the sun began to hide behind the border of land.

*She looks so cute with that expression.* Bryce thought.

"Wow. There are so many songs. How could you even choose favorites?" She asked.

Bryce thought for a second, and then responded, "Each song has a different meaning, right? So people have favorite songs based on what the song means to them."

"So what's yours?" She asked.

Bryce looked away. Violet could tell he was thinking not of which song, but whether or not to play it. She looked at him curiously.

*It must mean a great deal to him.*

Bryce closed his eyes again and switched to a new song, one she hadn't heard. As it played, he continued to look away.

_Author's Notes: Abrupt ending, I know. However, I know everyone will relate to music, as I don't know anyone who hates music all together._


	6. Chapter 6: Shell

Chapter 6: Shell

The song played. It was September by Daughtry. Violet listened to the lyrics, singing of the things remembered, but no longer there. The music was serene and calm, but also powerful.

As the final words faded away, Violet was awestruck from the beautiful music choice. She noticed Bryce was still looking away, lost in thought.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," he said in a hollow voice, still lost in his mind. "That song was as wonderful as when I heard it last, two years ago."

"If it's your favorite song, why have you only heard it once and just now?" She asked. Even though Bryce had opened up to him, there were still some clouds within his mind.

He replied slowly. "I didn't want to listen to it so much that it lost its meaning to me." He looked at her for a moment, then at the ground. "And also," he said even slower, "I…wanted to find someone…important to me to listen to it with me." He finished, blushing slightly.

She felt herself blush as well. Violet knew that she meant a lot to Bryce, but…the way he worded that reply just now… she shook the thought out of her mind. "So what meaning does the song have to you?" Violet questioned.

To a normal or unobservant person, Bryce would look to be perfectly fine, but Violet could tell his aura was dark. "It reminded me of times I had with the friends I had before one moved and the other left me for more popular people. Even though those memories will never come back to life, they're all I had…before you."

Violet felt a few tears fall from her eyes. She got up and hugged Bryce tightly. "I don't want you to ever feel that way again."

"Nor do I." he replied.

As the two sat together and watched the sun set, Violet leaned against Bryce's shoulder. At first, he was too frightened of doing anything she might find awkward, but after a few minutes, he finally was brave enough to drape his arm around her. As soon as he did this, however, he noticed she was asleep. He chuckled. Slowly, Bryce picked up Violet and began carrying her to his bedroom. While he was headed there, he softly sang a few lines of another song.

"Then I saw beautiful, it opened up my eyes. When I found beautiful, it opened up my life. Now I know beautiful, and how things should be. You are my beautiful...Beautiful to me."

He looked down at her sleeping form and smiled. Through the time Bryce had spent with Violet, he realized, and now knew, she wasn't like anyone else he had ever met…and not because she was a Pokémon, but because she truly cared about him and wanted to help him.

Despite the fact that Violet was asleep, she had woken up once Bryce picked her up. She blushed, but luckily it was hidden under her fur. Bryce thought she was beautiful. Did he mean she was beautiful on the inside or outside? Or maybe he thought both. Either way, she appreciated the gesture. *He's a sweet person as well.* She thought.

After placing her on the bed, Bryce went back to get his stereo and music player. On the way back, he heard Violet giggling on the other side of his door. Blushing, he made enough noise to let her pretend she was asleep again. Before falling asleep, he softly said, "You're not asleep, are you?"

Her response was another giggle, closer to a laugh. He chuckled as well before falling into a deep sleep…

_Author's Notes: So can you figure out the other song Bryce sang while he thought Violet was asleep?__ I would like to point out that September (by Daughtry) was my favorite song LONG BEFORE they over killed it on the radio._


	7. Chapter 7: Within

Chapter 7: Within

A week had gone by and Violet and Bryce had gotten closer to each other. Violet had told Bryce about the valley where she lived with her family and the scenery around it. Bryce showed her more about videogames and more about music. Soon, Bryce began to find something...

"That's a new one, isn't it?" Violet asked, her tail swaying back and forth to the slow yet graceful song.

"Yeah." He replied. Mysteriously, he rose up from his chair and held out his hand for Violet to take it.

"What are you up to?" she asked, taking his hand.

Without warning, he pulled her close to him, and started to dance with her. Violet was surprised, to say the least, not just from his sudden initiative, but the fact that he was a good dancer. As the song progressed, she slowly picked up the steps. At the end, Bryce dipped her slowly, and as the song ended, raised her back up.

"Wow…you are amazing." Violet said. "Where did you learn to do that?"

He grinned. "I've seen enough of America's Got Talent to know how to dance."

"Well, it paid off." She said.

"I think I'm going to swim, if you want to join…" he mused.

Her pupils shrunk and she froze. Bryce waved a hand in front of her. She snapped back to normal.

"Sorry, I'm just terrified of water. I don't know how to swim. There was never a stream or pond or anything near where I live."

"Do you want me to teach you? Our pool is deep enough to swim in, but shallow enough to touch the bottom if you need to." He asked.

She thought a moment before slowly nodding.

He looked into Violet's eyes. "Don't worry; I'll be right there to keep you safe."

Bryce left to change, leaving Violet with her thoughts.

*He really does care, even if nobody else thinks so. It seems like he'd do anything to see me happy.* She had a warm feeling, but she couldn't quite tell what it was.

At this point, Bryce was back. He was wearing swim trunks and holding a small raft that floated in the water. He noticed Violet was blushing.

"What?" He asked, and then remembered she hadn't ever seen him without a shirt on. He chuckled and blushed as well, though kept it under control much better than she did.

_One hour later…_

Violet could swim without the raft, but Bryce kept his arms under her just to be safe. After a while, he withdrew his hands without telling her. It was only when she turned around that she noticed he was sitting on the ledge of the pool, watching her. She swam up to the ledge and Bryce helped her up. Her face showed a blank expression.

"Bryce?" she asked.

"Yeah?" he responded.

She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you."

"It's no problem," Bryce said. "You've given me so much, and I know helping you with this isn't enough."

"Oh, please." She replied. "You gave me a home, shown me spectacular things, and given me courage to face my fears."

He smiled softly. "…But you gave me something better. A friend. The only one I could talk to before that seemed to care was my cat. You gave me life."

Violet smiled. Bryce smiled back.

_Author's Notes: Didn't expect Bryce to be able to dance, did ya? Not really important; the main focus was Violet conquering her fear._


	8. Chapter 8: Left

Chapter 8: Left

A month had gone by and Violet couldn't be happier. She awoke one morning and noticed Bryce had just walked in.

"It's done." He said.

"What's done?" She inquired.

He led her to the guest room and opened the door. The room was completely redone. The walls were colored soft lavender and the carpet was a dark blue to match her fur. There was a large bed with purple sheets and a blue pillow. There were pictures of waterfalls and other scenery hanging on the walls.

"…Wow… it's beautiful."

She smiled. He watched her look over the redeveloped room. He loved that smile. It seemed to radiate through the room.

"I'll go get lunch started while you enjoy your room." He said.

Violet nodded, still smiling.

She sat down on the bed. *I can't believe he did this for me.*

Violet also noticed there was a cd player with a cd that said "Favorites". She listened to it, and realized it had all of her favorite songs on it, ending with September. Once the final song ended, she looked at the clock. It had been over an hour.

It shouldn't take that long. Violet used her aura to check to see if Bryce was okay. He wasn't in the kitchen. In fact, he wasn't even in the house. She went to look outside. There was a shovel out of place, but it was unnoticed as she used her aura again. He was behind the fence, in the alley. As she opened the door to the alley, she saw Bryce kneeling over a mound of dirt with a stone. The stone read "Shadow".

Violet gasped mentally. *His cat…*

She could barely talk. "Do…you…want to be alone?"

…No response.

She went to the door and opened it, looking back at him momentarily before closing it again. She waited beside the door.

"Thank you." Violet heard Bryce say. "All the times I needed someone to be there, I had you. Others came and went, but you and I were always together. We were the last two, and I knew this would come. My worst fear came to life… losing someone I cared about." He paused. "Do I want to be alone?"

Violet was silently listening.

"…It doesn't matter. Now…I am alone…" He said, silent tears falling down onto the ground below. He set a rose on the grave.

Violet was crying silently on the other side of the fence. When she heard Bryce open the door, she ran up and hugged him, still crying.

"You have me." She sobbed. "You're not alone."

He didn't say anything.

_Author's Notes: Yeah, it's a sad chapter. It can't be a perfect world all the time. If you, like me, have lost the one person that meant everything to you, you know how bad Bryce feels._


	9. Chapter 9: Sun and Moon

Chapter 9: Sun and Moon

For the next three days, Bryce wouldn't say or do anything. Violet was more frightened by his appearance. He just did what was needed. She finally confronted him Friday night.

"You know you can talk to me." Violet said.

He looked away.

"I know you're upset, but I want you to be happy more than anything."

"…Wait here…" he spoke softly.

He returned about five minutes later.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Bryce said in his normal voice. He walked away, leaving her standing there.

_The next day… _

Violet was awoken from her bed early.

"Why did you wake me up at 4:30 in the morning?" she asked.

"Because we need to get there before dark." Bryce replied. He was packing final items.

"So we're going somewhere?" she looked at him curiously. "I thought you said humans shouldn't see me."

"Don't worry, they won't. The place we're going is private."

"So…" she started.

He laughed. "I'm not telling. It will be a surprise."

The two finished packing and got in the car.

"You told me you couldn't drive legally." Violet said.

"I can't, but my dad can. He wanted to go to the place we're headed, so I asked if we could go. You won't see much of him, though. He has his own things to do." Bryce replied.

She nodded. "If we have to leave this early, it must be a long trip."

"It's not too long," he started, "but things have to be set up." He was choosing words carefully without revealing anything important.

_5 hours later…_

"So…this is it?" Violet asked.

They were at a ranch. There was nothing but trees and hills as far as the eye could see.

"You never struck me as a country person."

"I'm not." He replied, "But there are a few things that make this place special."

"Like?" She asked.

"You'll see…" Bryce said.

Violet playfully punched him. "Stop leaving me wondering." She said.

He just acted like he didn't hear her.

"Will you at least tell me when?" she questioned.

"Tonight."

_That night…_

"…Wow…" was all Violet could say.

They were on top of the house at the ranch, looking at the sky. Without all of the city lights, the stars were sparkling brighter than she had ever seen them. Now she knew why Bryce thought this place was special.

Bryce couldn't be more content. He was able to show the person that meant the most to him the place that meant the most to him. Watching her smile and the stars reflect in her eyes was one of the most magical moments of his life. Bryce told Violet about the stories of the constellations; of how the Milky Way separated two lovers in the night sky, how a magical arrow pierced Scorpio's heart, and how Neptune kept his son safe by turning him into a swan. That night was magical. Neither Bryce nor Violet could say exactly, but something about being with each other was wonderful. The pair spent the night happily gazing at the stars.

_The next morning…_

"What is it with you and getting up early?" Violet mumbled.

"I haven't disappointed you yet." Bryce pointed out.

He took her to the edge of the ranch, where there was a massive gorge. Just as they reached it, the sun began to peak over the edge of the sky. Violet went to the edge of the rock they were on and smiled, looking at the beauty around her.

Bryce watched her happily observing the landscape and watched her fur blow slightly in the wind, the sun reflecting in her eyes. He noticed he was staring at her and looked away. What he didn't know is when he looked away, she was looking at him. Violet then realized that she was staring at him the same way he was moments ago. She looked away.

Bryce let his mind wander, and then his gaze fell back on Violet. At the same time, she looked back over at him. They looked at each other for a few moments, blushing, knowing that each was thinking about the other. Bryce finally smiled, and Violet saw something change.

"It's back…" she said, almost whispering.

"What's back?" he asked.

She smiled, "Whatever it was you lost when your cat… passed away." Violet said, afraid of Bryce remembering that horrible day.

"I guess it just took me a while to you realize you were right." He paused. "Just because I lost Shadow doesn't mean it's the end for me. I know self-worth was never an easy thing for me, and I don't want to drag anyone down, especially you. I…" he stopped himself. "…don't know where I'd be without you."

Violet hugged him tightly. "Don't sell yourself short, you're a great person. If it weren't for you, I could be in a testing lab somewhere. You care about the people that mean a lot to you, even if you don't show it."

"Thanks." He said, kissing her on the cheek. She blushed.

"Ha-ha, I knew that would happen." Bryce laughed.

She gave him an angry look, but then laughed as well.

"We better get back, we have to leave in a few hours."

As they were heading back, Violet was lost in her own thoughts. *What was he going to say? I know he stopped himself from saying something…but what?*

Bryce was getting the feeling of being watched. He looked around before seeing a pair of yellow eyes.

All of a sudden, a wild wolf came tearing from the bushes.

"Go right." He said, thinking quickly. "I'll go left and we'll confuse it."

This didn't work. The wolf had its sight set on Violet. It began to move towards her. She dodged its charge, kicking it sideways, and confusing it. Bryce, remembering the pistol he always carried when he was away from the trailer, ran in between the pig and her, pulled out a pistol, and shot the lupine. It hit directly in the forehead and it fell over immediately, dead. Bryce turned to face Violet. She had a face of pure shock "I'm sorry, I saw you in trouble… and I… I panicked." He said, afraid he scared him.

She ran up to him and hugged him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She said. Her face was buried in his chest. "You saved me… again."

Bryce was relieved she wasn't upset with him. "No problem" was all he could say.

They continued walking back to the house. *I couldn't find a better person to live with. It seems like he would do anything to keep me happy.*

"Bryce?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes?" was his response.

"I…" she stopped, then started again, "I'm glad you brought that pistol."

He smiled. "So am I."

They continued to walk.

*She stopped. That wasn't what she was going to say. I did the same thing. I wonder…* Bryce thought.

_Author's Notes: …so…looks like something is stopping both of them. I based this off of my family's ranch. Looking at the stars and watching the sunrise is the only reason I bother to go. The next chapter will be a festive one. Bryce and Violet enjoy Christmas. _

_PS For any older readers, I fixed the "fight scene"._


	10. Chapter 10: Christmas

Chapter 10: Christmas

It was beginning to near December, and Bryce began to decorate the house with his free time. He put all of the small things in their place so Violet wouldn't know the difference. Then, one night, he got all of the yard lights and the tree up.

When Violet woke up the next morning, she noticed snow was falling from the sky and creating a blanket on the grass, the bushes, and the trees. That's when she observed the lights placed on the edge of the roof like ice sickles and other yard decorations lightly coated with snow. She went into the living room.

"When did it start snow…" she started, but then stopped. The room had been completely redecorated with red and green bows, stockings, and a pine tree covered in ornaments and lights. There were a few candles that gave the room a friendly glow. Bryce was coming from the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

He yawned. "Morning."

"How much work did you do last night?" Violet asked, worried he didn't get enough sleep.

"Don't worry about me." He replied. "It's not as much work as you think. Besides, I think it looks good."

"That's the biggest understatement of the year. It looks wonderful." She said, looking at all of the ornaments with interest.

Bryce took a sip of coffee, and then set it down, leaning in the doorway. "I kind of wish it could stay like this all year, but I guess seeing it every single day would make it lose the meaning of it."

She walked close to him. "I still can't believe you did all this in one night, from the tree to the bows, even the plants." Violet finished, pointing to the ceiling.

He looked up, turning red. "I never put that there."

Violet noticed the blush. "What's the deal?"

"That plant has a… tradition. I don't know where it started or why, though…" Bryce trailed off.

"And that tradition would be?" Violet asked.

If he was blushing before, it was nothing compared to now. "Uh, when two people are under it, they…" he gulped. "Just close your eyes."

"Sure." She said, closing her eyes.

Bryce was normally a very bold person, but right now, he was terrified, and Violet's aura picked up on it immediately. "You okay?" she asked.

"Fine." He breathed. *Stop freaking out, it's not a big deal.*

He slowly leaned forward, and then softly pressed his lips against her muzzle in a kiss. She was surprised, and all she could do was stand there. Bryce expected no response, but right before he broke the kiss, he felt her slowly kiss back. He then broke the kiss, hoping that she wouldn't be upset or freaked out. She opened her eyes, just looking at him. They just stood there, not saying anything. Bryce's watch broke the silence.

"Oh right, I-I have to…uh… go get some things. I'll see you later." He said, half running, half walking to the door. She nodded, speechless.

*What just happened?* Violet thought. *Did he…*

Both of them were confused, but for different reasons. When Bryce returned, they had both decided not to mention it.

"What's with all the bags? You went for groceries yesterday." Violet said.

"These aren't groceries." He said.

"So what are they?"

"You'll see…" Bryce said.

"You know I hate it when you do that." She said.

_The next day…_

The day had gone by normally. Nothing special had happened until about eight at night.

"Want to watch a movie?" Bryce asked.

"Sure. You choose." Violet said.

"It's your call." He replied at the same time.

"Here," Bryce said, taking a coin from his pocket. "Heads or tails?"

"Tails." She chose.

He flipped the coin. "Tails. You choose."

She pulled out a DVD. The cover read, "_Jacobs Ladder._"

Bryce looked surprised. "You don't want to watch that."

"Why?" she asked.

"That's a horror movie. You'd hate it."

"I thought it was my choice." She argued.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." He finished.

_45 minutes into the movie…_

Violet had her face buried into Bryce's chest, clutching his arm tightly.

"Okay, you were right." She squeaked.

He turned the movie off. "You know it's not real. All of those people are fine." Bryce got up and headed for his room, Violet right behind him.

"Good luck sleeping tonight." He said, closing his door.

Violet went into her room. Falling asleep was impossible. She thought she saw shadows of figures and with each small noise, she jumped.

Bryce had seen the movie enough times for it to not even faze him. He got up at one thirty to go to the bathroom. *Maybe I'd better check on her.* He thought. He opened the door, only to have her purple eyes staring back at him. "Can't sleep?"

"No." she said, still scared. "Do you think… you could sleep here tonight?"

He smiled. "Sure." Bryce returned with a blanket and a pillow, laying them on the floor.

"You're not getting away with that this time. This bed is huge." Violet said in a normal voice.

"I can't sleep in the same bed as you. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." He said.

"The movie already made me plenty uncomfortable." She replied.

"Are you sure your okay with this?" Bryce said in one last attempt.

"I'm more than okay with it, I'm insisting." She said stubbornly.

Bryce slowly moved onto the bed. After a few minutes, a drift of snow fell off of the roof and Violet jumped into Bryce's arms. He was surprised, but embraced her all the same. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe."

Violet immediately felt secure. Was it the warmth of his arms, the comfort of his protection? Yes, but there was something else. She lost the thought as she fell into a deep sleep…

_Author's Notes: This is probably my favorite chapter. Was the kiss just a tradition? Pfft, yeah right. Still, the moments were sweet. Cliché, but sweet._


	11. Chapter 11: Priceless

Chapter 11: Priceless

Violet work up the next morning and looked at Bryce. He had his arms around her stomach, keeping her close. She snuggled deeper into his arms. He let out a contented sigh. She laughed, waking him up.

"What's so funny?" Bryce asked, still holding her.

"You were cuddling me." She responded.

"…and you had a problem with it?" he asked.

Violet shook her head. "It just didn't seem like something you'd do."

He was still holding her. "Granted, it may seem embarrassing, but…" he readied himself "… I can make the best of that situation."

Just as he finished his statement, he began to tickle her. She started laughing, begging him to stop, but he kept at it. Eventually she was able to tickle him back. Violet and Bryce's game of tickling turned into a playful wrestling match. She eventually pinned him to the bed, sitting on top of him.

"I win." Violet said.

"Consider that one of my three presents." He said, looking at the calendar on the wall. "Merry Christmas."

She let him up. "So what are the other two?"

Bryce got up. "Well, the second one is under the tree."

Bryce followed her into the living room. All of the other presents were already gone. *Typical, my mom wanted to be left alone and my dad still manages to have work even on Christmas.* He smiled. * At least I have Violet.*

He considered several options for her present, but the one he chose he knew was perfect. Violet finished taking off the wrapping paper, leaving a small black box. She opened it slowly. Inside was an amethyst stone in the shape of a heart. The candlelight reflected the jewel and its light bounced off all the walls.

"It's beautiful…" she said in awe. "How did you afford this?"

He shrugged. "All of my Christmas and birthday presents are all cash. It wasn't great, but…"

Violet didn't let him finish. She hugged him so tight that he couldn't breathe.

"It's wonderful! I love it!" she said, her tail wagging.

*Man, even her tail is cute. How can I not like her?* he thought.

"Even my tail, huh?" Violet said. He blushed, but then laughed with her. She held Bryce tighter.

Bryce was turning the color of her eyes. She let him go. "Sorry. It's just no one has ever given me something like this. I wish I had known about this. I could've gotten you something."

"Just having you here is enough of a present for me. This is the first year I've ever got to spend Christmas with someone." He said.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Violet asked.

"Your third part of the present is doing whatever you want."

She smiled at him, wagging her blue tail. "You're the best friend I could ever have."

He smiled back. "I'll be right back. Want anything to drink?"

She shook her head.

"She really is a great friend." He said softly to himself as he momentarily left.

_Author's Notes: I know it's short, but it's still a favorite chapter of mine._


	12. Chapter 12: Time

Chapter 12: Time

December turned into January, and while the entire world was cold, something was warm…

Violet was homesick. She hadn't seen her family for almost half a year. Later in the day, Violet sighed deeply when she and Bryce were playing videogames.

"What's wrong?" Bryce asked.

"I just miss my family." She replied sadly.

He felt sorry for her. His family may not even know his name, but she had a loving, caring family.

"I know what will cheer you up. Head outside, it's not that cold tonight. I'll be right there." He said.

Violet got up and headed to get a drink before heading outside. Bryce got the CD he made for her from her room and his CD player. He met Violet on the way to the door. He could still see the pain in her eyes. Before she could reach the door, Bryce stopped her and hugged her tightly.

"You're all the family I need." He said softly.

The hurt Violet had melted away. To think that Bryce cared about her enough to call her family… she knew from the way he associated with others that he wouldn't say that to just anyone. Violet returned the embrace, snuggling into his shoulder and purring softly. Bryce was surprised; she hadn't ever done that before.

After they broke apart, Bryce spoke. "Go ahead, I'll be right there."

She nodded, opening the door and venturing outside. Bryce paced across the hallway, his conscience arguing with his heart.

*I think now would be as good as a time as any.*

*No, she's still troubled. Besides, she's still a Pokémon, even if she is your friend.* His mind argued.

*I have my own life to think about.*

*But she…*

While this inner conflict was continuing, Violet was outside, watching the insects jumping around in the grass. Then she noticed a light getting closer…

*I'm telling her.*

*Fine, watch it backfire.*

*It won't, and I can't second guess myself.*

Bryce headed outside, only to be knocked over by Violet who practically tackled him, tears flowing down her face "I got a message from my world. I'm going home in three days." She hugged him strongly. "I'll get to see my family again."

It was a good thing her aura was too weak to see Bryce's. He was distraught. The time he spent with Violet was so long, he forgot she was only here for the information she needed. Bryce hugged Violet back, but feeling the contrast of her thoughts.

Violet mentioned needing to get something, but he wasn't really listening. After merely nodding, Bryce watched her disappear into the house. He was numb. The feeling of losing something that means everything to you. It was as if he had fallen into an eternal abyss.

"Three days…" was all he could say. Bryce went back into the house, but stopped, looking out at the window. He seemed to be frozen.

Wondering why she hadn't heard him head for his room, Violet went to see where Bryce was. After she saw him staring out the window, she called him back to life.

They both went to bed, Violet falling asleep with dreams of her family…Bryce not falling asleep at all.

_Author's Notes: So…looks like the "perfect" world comes crashing down…_


	13. Chapter 13: Conflict

Chapter 13: Conflict

The next day seemed to be normal, as if Bryce had no idea Violet was leaving. She spent the entire day with him, still concerned about him, but Bryce behaved as if it was just another day. It wasn't until that night she knew that something was wrong…

Violet woke to a slight crunching sound. She went to check on Bryce. He wasn't in his room. In fact, he wasn't even in the house. After using her aura to find him, Violet quietly went out the back door and immediately noticed a ladder leading to the roof.

Leaning against the chimney, Bryce simply let his mind drift, looking at the snowy landscape. He heard Violet climbing the ladder, but he wanted to be alone. He walked to the edge of the roof and jumped off, landing on the small blanket of snow.

Once Violet got to the top of the ladder, she looked around for Bryce, but obviously didn't find him. She saw a shadow walking up the street. Violet carefully followed the figure, not wanting to be caught by anyone who might be out at this hour.

Bryce felt weaker and weaker with each step he took. His head felt more like a weight. After walking for a while, he went down the back alley, stopping at Shadow's grave. There was a light layer of snow on the top of the stone.

*What am I supposed to do?* Bryce thought. *I can't just change what she thinks about me in the last few days.*

*Why not? Try before it's too late. You may not get another chance, and she deserves to know.* His heart pointed out.

*Yeah, but I can't change her entire life. It's not mine.*

*But your own life is. You know she's your friend.*

*I've already done too much, especially at Christmas.*

*When you kissed her? She kissed back.*

*It was just a tradition.*

*Maybe to her, but not to you.*

*How can I be sure this is right?* His mind asked.

*Violet is all you care about. You've always cared about her…even more than yourself.*

*…And that's why I'm going to…let her go. I can't protect her forever.*

Violet was watching Bryce, but she was too far away to read his thoughts. He went through the back door, into the house, and into his room. Following quietly, Violet waited until the coast was clear before entering. She felt awful for spying on him, but something hadn't felt the same ever since the night before. Just before she fell asleep, Violet thought she heard a faint sob, but she dismissed it.

The next day, she couldn't find Bryce anywhere. "I hope he's okay, wherever he is…" she said aloud.

_Several miles away…_

Bryce leaned on the edge of a bridge, looking out at the lake as he let his thoughts sift in his head.

*What do I do? Do I go and talk to her or do I wait and let her leave without seeing me?*

While Bryce knew she would be hurt if he waited until Violet was gone, but… what if the encounter hurt her more? After all, the more they tried to hold on to each other, the worse it would be when they had to let go. However, Violet had trusted Bryce, cared about him, and given him something beloved and invaluable... she was his one true friend. Would he regret the repercussion of not seeing her?

As he watched the fish swim around, Bryce sighed. *Why does this have to be so hard? More importantly, why is it so hard?*

Why? Simple. Both cared about the other, and that care was what he needed in his life. However, there was something else gnawing at his mind. Suddenly, his mind went white…

As the light dimmed, Bryce noticed he was back at his house. Violet was looking around for a note, a sign…any explanation as to why she hadn't seen Bryce all day. Her search became more frantic and after a while, she sat down.

"Bryce…where are you?" she whispered softly, tears falling down her face.

Bryce came back to his senses, gripping the side of the railing between him and the lake. Tears were falling down his face as well. The moment he just witnessed…was it a daydream? It had felt so real…

This entire day was making him go insane. Mentally, Bryce decided to think about something else for a while, but the more he tried to think of something else, the more Violet reappeared in his head.

*Even mentally, I can't get away from her.* He thought.

Flashbacks began appearing in his head, of all the times they spent together and how they made him feel human, whole, complete. With each flash of a memory, it felt like small bolts of electricity were hitting his heart.

*Why, after all these years of closing my heart, does something like this break me?* Bryce wondered. That, too, was obvious. Violet wasn't like others, and not because she was a Pokémon. She truly cared about him, and the happiness she brought to him was… wonderful. He thought again to Violet searching for him and crying after she couldn't locate him.

"I'm going to see her." He said aloud, almost as if to reassure himself. After the internal struggle, his heart had won. Bryce didn't know what he felt, but his heart would guide him. As he walked away from the bridge, the sun began to set. Realizing that he didn't have much time, Bryce ran back to his home, hoping it wasn't too late.

Bryce didn't show up for the entire day. At first, Violet thought he went to get something, but after noon, she began to worry. Soon she looked around for a trace of him. Violet checked everywhere she felt was safe enough to reach. With each passing minute she began to feel more upset at Bryce.

*This is the last day we would have had together, and he just throws it away? I know he's sad that I'm leaving, but our friendship is stronger than that…right?*

She shook her head. "No, Bryce would never betray me."

As time went on, however, Violet began to doubt if Bryce would show up at all. After waiting until almost midnight, she went into her room and lay down and sobbed. They had shared so much time together, but why would he leave her? Why now, when she needed him the most? She tried to push him out of her mind, but the more Violet tried, the more he would appear. It was impossible to actually fall asleep that night. Laying on her side, Violet silently cried for what felt like hours.

Around midnight, Bryce reached his house and opened the door. He quietly went to Violet's room and opened the door. Noticing Violet on her side, facing away from him, his heart sank. He was too late. Bryce slowly walked towards her sleeping form. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took her paw in his hand and stroked it with his thumb.

"Violet…" He said softly, shutting his eyes and looking away from her. "…I'm so sorry. You probably think I'm the worst person in the world right now. I left you because…I care about you."

Leaning towards her, Bryce kissed her softly on the cheek. He rose from the bed and walked outside to the porch.

Violet felt even more upset. *Just because he cared?* Was he saying it to her or to himself, to justify what he'd done? Bryce had broken her heart. All she wanted to do was spend the day with him, but instead he left her alone. Now she knew how he felt after all those years, and why he didn't want to feel that way. Didn't he realize running away from your problems doesn't solve them?

*I have to talk to him.* Violet thought, lifting the covers off herself and heading outside.

_Author's Notes: __Will Bryce make a huge mistake?_


	14. Chapter 14: The Truth

Chapter 14: Together…and Apart

Violet walked slowly to where Bryce was sitting. She placed a paw on his shoulder, sitting down beside him.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Bryce made no response. He couldn't even look at her.

"Bryce…" Violet said, leaning towards him.

There was still no response.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Violet knew very well what was wrong, but Bryce needed to tell her himself, in his own words.

"…Nothing's wrong." He said flatly.

"That's not true." Violet said softly. "You've been different ever since I said I was leaving. My aura might not be at full power, but I can still tell something's wrong. I've known you too long not to know how you act."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. You should get some sleep." Bryce replied. He even gave a small smile, but it was clearly a fake one.

Violet was beginning to get upset. "Stop pretending, Bryce. I'm not a fool."

"I'm okay, I promise." He said, still with a bland voice.

"Stop it Bryce! You're scaring me. You never act like this. Why can't you just admit you'll miss me? Acting like I'm not leaving won't solve your problem with this, so stop acting like you don't care!" Violet shouted.

While he was surprised to hear Violet shout, he wasn't going to break. He couldn't. That wasn't his plan. His response was silence.

"Fine! I guess that's just it! You don't care! Not about me, not about yourself!" She yelled at him.

You don't care…that was like being impaled with ice. That cold feeling struck him over and over again in his head, "You don't care. You don't care". It felt like he was crashing into brick walls, over and over. It felt so horrible to do this to her.

"Violet, I…" he started.

"Don't even bother; I know you just want me to leave, even if you will miss me."

"Lucario, please…"

"See? You won't even call me by the name you gave me! The name I want to hear! Stop hiding from the reality." She grabbed Bryce by his shoulders and shook him. "I am leaving and you will miss me!"

How? How was it possible? To act like he didn't care… at all? It was too hard.

"Violet, STOP!" he finally yelled. "Stop thinking I don't care! Stop thinking I won't miss you! I will…more than anything. You mean everything to me."

That was all it took; saying that he did care. He gave up, crying with his face in his hands. Violet was too shocked to do anything. Backing up, she couldn't reply or move to comfort him…she was frozen in place.

"Why?" she finally asked. "Why couldn't you just say it?"

"I didn't want you to feel bad…about leaving. I didn't want you to think you were horrible for leaving me. I don't want you to be sad, and if you did feel bad about leaving, I didn't want my emotion to get in the way. As long as you're happy, I'll be okay." He finished, tears still falling into the cold grass.

Violet was in tears now. "You did that… for me?" Bryce nodded. "That's the most selfless thing anyone has ever done for me." She sat down by Bryce and put a paw on his shoulder.

"You have no idea how much I care about you, Violet. You've done things for me that I could only dream of." Bryce said. He knew he couldn't stop. "You're always there for me. I couldn't be happier when you're around, and when I'm away at school or somewhere else, I feel miserable. Every time you hug me, I just feel like everything melts away. I've never sad when you're with me. These last seven months have been the best time of my life…because of you. It may have taken a while, but I finally realized that I..."

"…you'll miss me?" Violet asked.

"Yes, but mostly that all I ever wanted was someone like you and that I…I love you."

Finally, he had said it. There was nothing left to hide. That was his deepest secret…but now she knew. She had to, though. Violet didn't deserve not to know after all she had done for him.

Violet was staring at the back of his head. Was that what she felt every time they were together? Love? That warm feeling of his presence and comfort? Maybe. She never felt like this before; Pokémon don't really choose mates based on how attracted they are to them; their parents choose the best potential partner for them. However, Bryce was kind, caring, protective…and he did mean a lot to her as well.

Bryce got up to go into the house. Even if Violet didn't love him, she still did need to know.

"Bryce…" Violet started.

"Look, I know you…" he began.

However, he couldn't finish because she put a paw on his shoulder, turning him towards her. She leaned forward and kissed him. At first, he was too shocked to do anything, but once he realized what was happening, he kissed back passionately. It was nothing like the kiss at Christmas. This one was full of passion and emotion. He placed a hand on her waist and the other on her back. At the same time, she put one of her paws on his back and the other on the back of his head, letting his hair course over it. Bryce held her close, avoiding her spike, but feeling the warmth radiating from her. They finally broke apart, looking into each other's eyes. Then Violet said the words Bryce longed to hear.

"…I love you too."

"Really?" Bryce asked.

She nodded, smiling at his happiness. He started tearing up again, hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I didn't because…"

"…I'm a Pokémon and you're a human?" Violet asked.

"No, because I would rather have a great friend than someone who would feel awkward around me because I said I love them. I didn't want to risk it, but this is the last night you will be here, and I knew I could tell you." He responded. "I don't care if you're a Pokémon, I love you for who you are, not who you could be."

She nodded. "… and that's just how it should be. I wouldn't change you, no matter what."

Leading her back into the house, Violet walked into Bryce's room.

"I'm sleeping here tonight and you aren't changing my mind."

Bryce didn't argue. It didn't matter and he didn't want to fight.

The two slept peacefully in each other's arms.

"…I'll never forget you…ever." Bryce said softly in his sleep.

_The next morning…_

"When do you have to leave?" Bryce asked sadly.

"In about thirty minutes." Violet responded.

The two spent the last few minutes together. Bryce gave her a purple MP3 player with all the songs she loved and the silk blanket he got for her so long ago.

"Something to remember me by." He said. "Promise me you'll never change for someone. The reason most of the things I gave you were purple was from your eyes. You said that you were teased; I'm telling you that you have the most beautiful eyes and differences like that are what gives character. If everyone was the same, we would still be in the Dark Ages."

"I promise." She said. "I know you're right, differences make us distinct, not better or worse."

Bryce smiled. "You know I'll never forget you. You'll always be an important part of me."

"I know I won't forget you either. If there is any way I can come back, I will." She looked him straight in the eye. "Close your eyes."

Bryce did as told and felt a warm tickling sensation on his right eye. When he opened his eyes, he saw one of Violet's eyes was blue.

"Whenever I think of you and you think of me, one of your eyes will turn purple like mine and one of mine will turn blue." She smiled. "Remember, we'll never be truly apart."

"Never." Bryce agreed.

The light to take Violet back appeared. She turned to face him one more time. They kissed one last time, prolonging the inevitable.

"I'll see you again…I promise." Violet said, stepping into the light. The glow radiated her face, showing a smile and tears in the corner of her eyes. She faded away along with the light, leaving Bryce alone.

"Violet..." he whispered softly. He sat down, mourning the loss of his only friend. Bryce finished crying and softly spoke:

"Thank you…for everything…"


	15. Chapter 15: My Guardian

Us Against the World

Chapter 1: My Guardian

On the outskirts of a valley, a lone Lucario sat on the edge of a small indent in the wall of rock. She had been out here every night for almost three months. Looking up into the night sky with her purple eyes, she felt the cold air brush through the blue fur on her arm. Through all that happened, she was a wreck. About a year ago, she decided to journey to another place…earth. When she had made it there, she had collapsed and a boy had taken her in. Bryce. Just like that, taken her in without question or hesitation. He was broken, lost from everything. His family barely knew he existed, no friends, nothing to hold onto. She gave him something, that comfort that he always wanted, and Bryce gave her care, trust, and courage. Even the name he gave to her, Violet, fit his personality. He always said to embrace your differences. While Violet was normally teased from those eyes, she no longer cared. The only thing Bryce had was Shadow, his cat, but he passed on. Violet gave him strength through the worst time of his life. She never wanted to leave, but she didn't have a choice. Now she wanted him back more than ever…the one she loved…her confidant, her happiness, her care…her guardian. The tears from her eyes, one purple, one blue, began to fall again. They had every night she was apart from him. It felt as if her soul was tearing apart.

"Bryce…what I wouldn't give to have you back right now…" she wept.

_Author's Notes: I skipped The Darkest Place because it didn't feel right reading it. I feel better about this one. This is Violet's POV after two months after returning to her world._


	16. Chapter 16: My Angel

Chapter 2: My Angel

Far away. Distant. That was all he ever knew…until a year ago. That cruel twist of time was tearing through him now more than ever. Time can't heal wounds like the ones in Bryce's mind. The world here was always too dark, too cold. Nothing here ever felt welcoming…not like her. That moment he decided to carry a lone traveler home. She opened his heart like no one could. He could tell her anything without fear or regret. She wasn't like the rest of her kind from those eyes, those warm, loving amethyst eyes. That's why Bryce gave her that name, Violet. The differences in any world are what give it character, depth. That beautiful Lucario was his ultimate wish… a friend that cared about him and liked him for who he was. His family was distant; he never felt a connection to them. Bryce never had any friends except for Shadow and Violet, but they were both gone. One dead, the other too far away. Much too far away. The place he wanted her was in his arms. All the times before Violet, before a real friend, weren't as bad as this. Every day, it was just pain. Nothing gave him happiness or love like she did. Bryce needed her now more than ever. That wonderful being that filled his soul…his angel. The tears covered the concrete on the back porch in the night, as they always did every night.

"Violet…if I could have anything…it would be you…" he softly said.

_This is Bryce's POV two months after Violet left. Will they see each other again?_


	17. Chapter 17: Clear to Me

Chapter 3: Clear to Me

Why? Why did he have to endure this? Bryce was at school, but it was far from pleasant. The horrible stench of cheap perfume and cologne mixed with disinfectant was disgusting. It seemed as if school was a holding cell. All of the classes had little purpose to him. He either knew how to do the work for it or it didn't pertain to what he wanted to major in. Apparently his junior year was going to be just like last year. His birthday came and went between the two years, but he didn't care. It was just a usual day, no party or anything. He sighed. Bryce knew exactly what he would have done that day: spent it with Violet.

"Miss Anderson, how do we find the least common denominator?" a girl asked.

*You've got to be kidding me. How do you not know that? Most of us have since eighth grade.* That was pathetic. Every school, private or public, always had kids like that. Bryce asked to be excused. He just needed to get out of there for a few minutes. Nothing had meaning to him now. Even what he used to enjoy lost that happiness. Bryce went downstairs to the office and signed out.

"Not feeling well?" the principal asked. She was a kind woman at heart, but with a few thousand kids in this school, she didn't know Bryce at all.

"No, been feeling bad since this morning." He lied. That pain had been there for two months.

"Need me to call your parents?" she asked.

"No, I did before I came in here." His parents wouldn't even care. The one decent thing that happened since Violet left was getting his license. He never drove anywhere except for school and shopping. As he was walking to his car, he wondered if he should have told his teacher. No, it didn't really matter. He had done this before. Sometimes he would just leave and not show up for a few days. The school didn't care as long as his grades were passing and his homework was being turned in.

The drive home seemed long. Maybe it was just the lights or the radio having no good songs on. He wished he had his MP3 right now, but it wasn't that big of a deal. Once he arrived, he opened the garage door.

*No other cars. Good.* Not like it would matter, but Bryce didn't want to deal with his parents. He walked to his room, letting his backpack fall to the ground. Feeling glad he remembered to bring it, he just sat in his chair in front of his desk and computer. After deciding on what to do, he finally decided to play Soul Calibur 4. It seemed like the world was like the story of the game. Everyone fought for what they wanted, but they never knew if what they fought for was truly the right thing. Bryce wasn't really paying attention to the game. He could play it unconsciously if he wanted to. It wasn't any fun though. Nothing was.

"Time is cruel. Even with all this power, I cannot undo the past." The voice of Algol said from the monitor's speakers.

*So true. I wish I had more time with Violet.* he thought, turning off the game. Lying down, he just fell asleep. He wasn't tired at all, rather, it was his escape from the world.

He was in a meadow at night. A lone tree blanketed the landscape. Bryce had his arm draped around Violet, feeling her soft fur. Those warm eyes looked into his. They were so beautiful. Suddenly, fireflies came from the tree, illuminating her in a green glow. She smiled at him. He smiled back, embracing her tightly.

That's when he woke up, his arms locked around nothing. He just stared at his hands, as if Violet was right there. He could even see a faint outline of her, but it faded away, as if the wind took it and blew it away.

He broke down. The wounds wouldn't heal. It wasn't a normal "breakup". The pain from her leaving was too real. How did he live like this before she came to earth? He felt like ice that could only melt by seeing her again. He cried until he couldn't anymore.

"I need you, Violet. I can't do this on my own." Bryce said softly. She was his guiding light, and he was lost…completely lost.

A small light flew in through the window. It let out a pulse that lit up the entire room in its glow. It wasn't Violet, though. He recognized that face though. He figure was puppet-like and he wore a blue hat with a blue cape.

"…Geno?" he asked, trying to regain his composure quickly. The figure nodded.

"Yes. I'm here to grant your wish." He said.

"What?"

"I'm surprised you aren't packing right now. I'm taking you to Violet." He said smiling.

"You can do that?" he asked. Geno nodded.

It was like the weight was gone. The cloud was lifted. He gave Geno a huge hug.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Bryce said happily. Geno laughed.

"It's what I do." He replied.

Bryce packed as quickly as he could, getting a pillow, sleeping bag, his MP3, and a few other things. After some difficultly, he stuffed them into a bag.

"You sure don't have much connection here." Geno remarked.

"Violet is all I have." He said smiling. Bryce couldn't believe that his dream was about to become reality.

"Ready?" He asked. Bryce nodded. "I'm going to teleport you to where she is, but I'm not going to stay. I'll leave you two alone." Geno said, winking.

Bryce blushed, but he nodded. "Thanks, Geno. I'm forever in your debt."

Geno smiled. "Just always remember to protect what you love."

The light engulfed Bryce and Geno. When Bryce opened his eyes, he was on a fairly small ledge. As Geno had said, it was just him. It took a few seconds to adjust to the darkness, but he saw a blue figure on the end of the ledge. It was her. Bryce couldn't move or speak. He just looked at the back of the person he missed more than anything…Violet.

_Author's Notes: Geno is from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. He wants Star Road to be repaired so wishes can be granted. He might make an appearance much, much later. Next chapter will be the best yet…_


	18. Chapter 18: My Everything

Chapter 4: My Everything

As much as Bryce wanted to run to Violet and give her a huge hug, he managed to repress himself and instead listened to her talk.

"Why? Does it always have to be like this?" she sighed. "I guess it's just a reminder that you need to cherish what you have for as long as you have it. I just wish I could see him again."

He smiled. "Well, you could always turn around."

Violet turned to face Bryce. She stood, walking slowly to him. Bryce noticed that her eyes looked dull. They were still one purple, one blue, but something was missing. Then it hit him: she didn't really think it was him.

*I can't blame her, though. I've had the same problem several times.* Bryce thought, still stopping himself from hugging her as tightly as he could.

"No…not again." Violet looked away. "I don't want to again. Every time I reach for you, you fade away."

Bryce extended his arm, palm up. "Violet…trust me. I know you missed me, don't think for a second I didn't miss you…but you've got to break through your own fear right now. It IS me, and I promise I'll never let go." He finished, tears forming in his eyes.

Slowly, she turned to face him again. Her paw reached forward slowly, finally resting on his hand. He stroked it with his thumb, feeling that warm light from her. She looked into his eyes, and it came back. Finally, she realized it really was him.

"Bryce…" she softly said before launching herself on him, hugging Bryce tightly and almost knocking him over. She cried into his chest, squeezing him and not letting up. He just returned the embrace softly, silently crying as well. He missed that more than anything. Holding her was the best feeling of happiness. Just when every hope had died, it came back. The guidance that was the beautiful Pokémon before him. After a very long time, Violet finally let go. Bryce asked her something he wanted to be sure, even though he was almost sure of the answer.

"Violet…do you… you know… still love m…" Bryce started, blushing.

She didn't let him finish. Violet tackled him, sending him down to the ground. Before he could react, she was kissing his face all over with wet, passionate kisses before connecting her muzzle with his lips. Bryce was surprised, but once he realized she was kissing him, he kissed back. Soon, she broke the kiss, smiling.

"You idiot. Of course I still love you." She teased.

He smiled, holding her tightly and feeling her warm aura and fur engulf him. She nuzzled her snout into his shoulder. Maybe it was all the emotion he never expressed, but Bryce was so happy, he rubbed her cheek against his, hearing her purr contented.

The pieces had fallen back into place. All the pain and suffering without Violet was gone. The light his angel provided now had him back on the path. He wouldn't trade anything for this moment. She was all that mattered to him. Violet completed him, and she was and always would be his everything.

"Geno, you are my absolute hero right now." He said.

"You met Geno?" Violet asked.

_Author's Notes: I'd like to think the band 98 degrees for their song, "My Everything". It really helped listening to it while writing this. Don't worry; I've got some ideas for the next few parts. After all, you want to hear what happened to Violet, right? See you for the next part._

Chapter 5: Leaving the Past


	19. Chapter 19: Past Times

Chapter 19: Past Times

"Yeah, Geno sent me here. You remember him from playing Super Mario RPG?" Bryce replied.

She nodded. "There isn't anything I forgot that you told me."

"So how have you been doing?" He asked, still cuddling with her.

"It's been horrible. When I got back I was swarmed with questions. I answered what they wanted, but it seemed like they just wanted answers. I don't know…it just hasn't felt like home. I told my parents about you, and they haven't been the same since."

Bryce froze. That can't be good, but he should have expected it. "What did they say?"

"If you were to show up, they wanted to meet with you."

*That could be good or bad.* Bryce thought.

"My best friend has been great, though. He's the only one that's noticed I was feeling awful without you. I told him about you and he accepted it without question. I've spent most of my time here and he's visited me sometimes." Violet gave Bryce a hug. "I guess you'll see him tomorrow."

Bryce nodded. He didn't expect all the Lucarios to take kindly to a stranger coming into where they lived, especially a human. He knew most humans weren't as nice as they acted. He looked down to see Violet asleep. He smirked. Just like when he first met her, she looked as if she hadn't slept in days. It was then he realized how tired he was as well. Bryce took the blanket and draped it over Violet, lifting her head onto the pillow. He tried to move away from her and let her have it to herself, but her arm was tightly caught on his arm.

"Fine, have it your way." He said to her sleeping figure. Even asleep, she always wanted to be near her. He lied next to her, falling asleep quickly.

That morning Violet and Bryce awoke at the same time. She smiled at him. He smiled back, pulling her close for a soft kiss.

"Morning." He said.

"Ready to go?"

He nodded. While he didn't expect a warm welcome, it was what she wanted. He packed the blanket and pillow up again and followed her through the trees.

*What would they think? Would they even let him in at all?* Bryce thought. He then realized he was over thinking it. Make the assessment after you get there.

The pair crossed a small patch of yellow flowers and into the village. Bryce just walked as humbly and respectfully as he could. It was strange. He expected stares, but it felt a lot like it did on earth. Something felt wrong. Violet stopped in front of two Lucarios. Their eyes were red like a normal Lucario, but they were a lot taller than the Pokedex said. They were about five and a half feet, closer to six though.

"Mom, dad, this Bryce. You know, the one I told you I met during my visit to earth." They nodded, examining him, and reading his aura.

Bryce knelt down to show his respect. They seemed pleased that he was humble and not proud and loud. He never was that kind of person. If he ever won something, he usually just said thanks for the game and left.

"Rise." The father said. He rose slowly. "Would you let us talk with our daughter in private?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." He said, walking to an area just outside of the village. Another Lucario came up to him.

"Are you Bryce by any chance?" he asked. Nodding, he realized that this must be Violet's best friend. He didn't give off that feeling the others did. That feeling…just like the humans on earth…

"I'm Violet's friend Rio, except for you from what I gather." He said winking.

Geno's remark had nothing on that. He tried to keep his face from reddening, but it didn't work very well.

Rio laughed. "It's fine with me. I haven't seen her as happy as when she talks about you."

"Well, she's a great friend. I don't know where I'd be without her." He finally said.

"Yeah, Violet's always had a calm, warm presence. It's just in her nature. I'm surprised some people here can't get over her having purple eyes." His face seemed to fall a little. Whispering, he said, "Not everyone here is your friend. Just be careful. I'm not against you here, but others don't take kindly to strangers, especially humans."

Bryce nodded. That would explain the odd feeling from everyone. It was on earth as well, except everyone felt like that. Distant and cold. Violet never had that, and neither did this Lucario. Did they notice the difference?

"Could you tell Violet I'll be back at where I saw her last night?"

"Her favorite place? No problem." He smiled and walked off, Bryce facing the opposite direction out of the valley completely.

*I hope this doesn't get Violet in trouble…*

_Author's Notes: Firstly, Happy New Year to all. So…could there be trouble in paradise? What do Violet's parents think of Bryce? Does her best friend trust Bryce enough to let him take care of Violet? I guess you'll see soon. _

_PS Thanks for the warm welcome to FF and positive comments. I really appreciate it. _


	20. Chapter 20: Yours Forever

Chapter 6: Yours Forever

Bryce slowly walked back to where he met Violet the night before, taking in the scenery unlike when he was going to the village. There were lush, green trees with soft grass blanketing the ground. There were a few Pokémon around: a family of Tailows in a tree and several bug Pokémon here and there. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue with a few fluffy clouds. Bryce loved summer. It was winter on earth still, and he didn't really like winter. Summer was always his favorite time, except for the spring rains that would clear the air of dirt and leave fresh, clean air. He sat under the small ledge. With his face shaded and the rest of his body exposed to the sun, he felt like falling asleep. It felt like a few hours, but it was only a few minutes.

*Man, I wish I could just lie like this forever.*

"You wouldn't dare do that without me." Violet said.

Bryce sat up to see Violet watching him lie there.

"How long have you been there?" he asked surprised.

"Just got back."

Bryce couldn't tell what her parents had told her by the look on her face. All of the worry that faded earlier came rising back to the surface. Would this be the last time he saw Violet?

"So…my parents said…" Violet spoke slowly. While he was slightly annoyed she wouldn't say faster, Bryce expected it was payback for the times he wouldn't tell her about the surprises on earth.

"…they appreciated you being humble and you and I have good chemistry, so…whoa!"

Bryce, in one swift motion, got up, ran towards Violet, and given her a hug so passionately, he lifted her off the ground. She laughed and returned the embrace, smiling and purring the whole time. Why couldn't moments like this last forever? As wonderful as the moment was, it had to end eventually.

"Nothing bad at all?" he asked, still holding her.

Violet shook her head. Bryce dipped her, kissing her as if they were in a movie. He released all the pure happiness from Violet's parent's approval and seeing her again. There were no regrets. Leaving earth was the best thing that ever happened to him. Even though Shadow's grave was there, it didn't matter. He was with the person he loved. After a while he broke the kiss, smiling at her and looking into her beautiful amethyst eyes.

"Wow…" Violet was taken away. She never imagined love could ever show that much in a kiss.

"What? I always want the best for my girl." He teased.

Violet shot Bryce a look. "You know I don't belong to anyone…" She started angrily, but then embraced him. "…except you."

He stroked her cheek softly. "…and that's why you're my little Lu."

"What?" she laughed.

Bryce blushed. "It sounded sweet in my head."

"Well, it was even sweeter out loud." Violet tugged at his arm. "Come on, there's someplace I want to show you."

She led him into another direction, both away from the cliff and the village. Night was falling, and rather fast at that. Soon they reached a clearing, much smaller than the village. The grass was especially green and lush. Walking into the center of the small area, Bryce saw a bright green light floating amongst the trees. Squinting, he realized it was a Volbeat. Without warning, several Volbeat and Illumise covered the area with their lights, bathing it in a green glow. He turned to see Violet smiling at him. He smiled back. Neither said a word. They didn't have to. Bryce extended his hand and Violet took it, knowing what he was thinking. They began to dance as if a slow, romantic song was playing. That moment was the best thing that had ever happened to Bryce. He felt as if he was flying. After a while, Violet rested her head against his shoulder, still dancing slowly. It was if they were in a daze, dancing without thoughts about anything but each other. That embrace was the most beautiful thing Bryce ever got from her. Their love wasn't about lust. It was the feeling of being close to each other and not letting go, sharing each moment with each other, helping the other with anything… Bryce was madly in love…and he never wanted it to end. Violet looked up at his smiling face, still glowing in the light.

*How could nobody ever care about him? He gave up his entire world for me…took me in without question…helped me through any fears and depression…all for me. This is who I want to be with…forever.*

She leaned forward and kissed him lovingly. Bryce was somewhat surprised, but he welcomed it all the same. Why should he care what anyone thinks of him and Violet together? There was no way he couldn't love her…she was too wonderful. They broke the kiss after what seemed like eternity. Then both said the same thing at the same time:

"I love you."

They walked back to the ledge and stayed there for the night, happily in each other's arms.

_Author's Notes: …sigh…that was one of my favorite chapters to write. I'm not going to enjoy going back to school (which sadly means updates will take longer :( ). Still, I needed to write this chapter. Just to have something sweet, but don't think it's going to be a perfect world forever. Hope you liked it! (Thanks to Dave Cook's song "The Time of My Life". It really helped me concentrate through all the noise while writing this.)_

_P.S. Volbeat and Illumise are both firefly Pokémon, so yes, it's meant to be like Bryce's dream in Chapter 1._


	21. Chapter 21: Storm Clouds

Chapter 21: Storm Clouds

Bryce awoke the next morning with Violet snuggling up close to him, still asleep. He didn't bother to move. She looked like a sleeping angel. Leaning forward, he kissed her snout softly. Violet awoke, looking up at him with her purple eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up."

She slowly sat up, smiling. "It's fine. If there was any way to wake up, it would be like that." She yawned, her fangs showing.

"First I said your tail was cute, now your fangs? I must be crazy." Bryce said aloud.

Putting a paw on his cheek, she smiled and kissed him. "…or just really in love."

"That too." He laughed. Violet held him closely, still leaning against his chest. He looked into the cloudy sky and dense landscape. Turning to Violet, he asked, "Want to just stay here?"

"What?"

"You know, just stay here for the rest of the day."

She giggled. "I don't know how you're never bored sitting here all day."

"Oh, I was never one to be constantly bored. I always found something to do or think about. I don't need anything but you." He said sweetly.

"I wish most people were as nice as you."

"Believe me; I'm not near as great as you are."

Violet slowly got up. "I wish I could stay here all day, but I promised I'd visit my parents today."

Nodding, Bryce rose as well. "All right. I'll see you later then."

Violet walked away, heading back to her valley. Bryce took his usual walk. Ever since he started living here, he took daily walks. Usually he spent a long time walking, and his legs were getting stronger. He took a different route from his usual one, watching all of the Pokémon wake up and began to eat. As the path took a winding route, he noticed a small pond where several Magikarp and Lotad were swimming. There was also a Starly on the ground, breathing heavily. Bryce walked over to help it. As he approached, it froze and stared at him.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I only want to help."

The Starly lowered its head, signifying it was okay for Bryce to come nearer. He bent down and looked at its wing. It was bleeding and appeared to be strained. He looked up at the tree above it. Once he saw what happened, Bryce winced. A clump of feathers were on a fork. The Starly had torn its wing while flying through the tree.

"Star?" the bird asked.

"Yes, I can help, but I have to take you back to my camp. Is that okay?"

"Starly." The bird nodded.

Bryce scooped the Starly up carefully and began to walk back to the area where all of his stuff was. He brought a small emergency kit just in case. It wasn't Pokémon medicine, but it was better than nothing. The Starly's eyelids drooped, but would open again.

"Go ahead, rest. It'll conserve your energy." Bryce said.

The Starly nodded off, resting its head against Bryce's shoulder. A few minutes later, he reached the camp and gently set the bird on his sleeping bag. Leaning over, he reached the first aid kit and opened it. Some of the packets were different, with pictures of PokéBalls on them. It became apparent after more searching through the kit that they were designed for Pokémon. Facing towards the Starly again, he noticed it was watching him intently.

"This might sting a little." Bryce spoke softly, spraying the wound with an anti-bacterial. The Starly closed its eyes, expecting more pain. However, it never came. It opened its eyes again, looking up at Bryce.

"No pain?"

It shook its head "Star."

"Good." He said, bandaging the wound carefully. The Starly slowly moved its wing back and forth, testing if it would move around. The sprain was better, but still there. "You might want to stay here for a while." Bryce suggested. The Starly nodded. It hopped into his lap as Bryce leaned against the wall of smooth rock. He watched the darker clouds cover the sky. Hopefully no rain would come. While he did have a place to stay dry, he didn't want Violet to walk back in the rain. She was taking a while. What was keeping her?

Bryce didn't realize that it had been two hours of staring at the sky until he checked his watch. Violet was right, it seemed that time was always flying by without him noticing. He rose up from his position and carefully assessed the Starly's wing.

"It looks a lot better; how does it feel Starly?"

"Star!" The bird chirped happily. It glowed in a white light and began to change shape completely. Once the light dimmed, the Starly was much bigger and its wing was fully healed, the bandages gone.

"Staravia." Bryce said. The Pokémon had evolved right in front of him. He couldn't help but smile.

"Star." The bird nodded, flying around him. It seemed it needed to go back.

"You know the way?" Bryce asked.

"Staravia." The bird nodded, flying in the direction it came from. Bryce watched it cut through the air as if it was a dolphin swimming through water.

"Seems like you really are a nice guy." A voice spoke from behind him. Bryce turned to see Rio. He looked weary.

"What are you doing here?"

He sighed. "I'm just gonna say it. Violet and I are…getting married."


	22. Chapter 22: Hold You Tight

Chapter 22: Hold You Tight

No. It wasn't possible. There was no way. How? Why? He just got that wonderful, irresistible angel back, only to lose her again?

"Please tell me you're lying."

"I wish I was." Rio responded.

"What happened?" Bryce asked.

"Well, I didn't understand it until Violet told me."

_Flashback_

Violet walked up to her parents. "Hello dad. How've you been?"

"I've been well. It's been a while since I've seen you." He responded.

"Sorry, I've been with Bryce for most of the time."

"Violet, we need to talk." He said sternly. "Listen, you can't be with him."

Her face fell. "Why not? Bryce cares about me a lot. I can trust him with anything."

"I need to consider your future. He can't provide for you and Pokémon and humans can't have kids. There are plenty of other Pokémon out there…"

"I don't care. I know who I love, and it's Bryce…besides, love is so much more than kids. I don't think many Pokémon actually know what true love is."

"It's not about what true love is or isn't. Your future, what's best for you, is the priority for me. Where could your life go if you were with him? He abandoned his home, no job here, barely any food…"

"First, he didn't abandon his home, he NEVER felt at home on earth. Second, Bryce could find a job to afford food and anything else we need." Violet said, starting to get upset.

"Violet, I'm not allowing you to be with him. You can't start a family with him." Violet's father persisted.

"Why do you keep going back to kids? I don't care if…wait… I know what this is about! You just want me to keep our family line going!" She accused.

Her father didn't respond.

_End Flashback_

"Wait, Violet's only fifteen." Bryce said.

"Pokémon are fully developed when they're at their final evolution." Rio said. "The first stage in the evolution, we're kids. The second one, we're teenagers, and the final one we're adults. However, Riolu only evolves once. Even though mentally Violet is only fifteen, physically, she's an adult."

_Flashback_

"So that's it!" Violet yelled at her father.

"Enough! I already chose who will marry you." He scolded. Rio__walked through the door. Violet was shocked and afraid at the same time.

"Rio? He's my best friend! I don't love him that way! I just want to be friends with him, not marry him!" She continued to yell.

"Wait, marry? That's what you called me for?" Rio asked.

Violet's father nodded. "Violet, I will not stand for this. You are a mature lady. You have no injuries or disabilities…this was about the time your mom and I got married."

Violet burst into tears. This couldn't be true. It was a dream, and any second she would wake up…but she didn't. "I HATE YOU!" She yelled at her father, running out the door crying.

"Violet! Wait!" Rio tried to stop her, but she was too upset. He followed her to where she always went when she was upset. He found her under a hollowed tree, curled up into a ball. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Rio walked up to her and put a paw on her shoulder.

"Violet…it'll be okay." He said comfortingly. She didn't stop crying. No matter what he tried to say, it didn't work.

"Do you want me to tell Bryce?"

At the mention of Bryce, she cried even harder. If she didn't feel bad enough, now she had to tell him they couldn't be together? After all the time they spent together? After all of those wonderful days together?

Rio decided to leave to tell Bryce. He was trying to comfort her, but he just made it worse.

_End Flashback_

Bryce was trying not to cry. "Is there anything I can do to prevent this?" he asked.

"No." Rio sadly said. "The whole village is guarded. None of the other Lucario want you and Violet together. Violet and I are the two that are getting married…but the only two who don't want this to happen…other than you, of course."

All Bryce could think of was Violet crying. He hated seeing her upset. "Could you tell Violet to come see me? I need to talk to her."

He nodded, standing up quickly. "Of course." He said, running off.

Bryce felt horrible, just like when Violet was about to leave him the first time. She was the most wonderful, incredible, beautiful person…no, Pokémon, he ever met. There would be no way he'd find someone else like her. He wouldn't want to. He leaned against the smooth rock, feeling horrible for him and Violet. Then he just cried. Bryce didn't even know completely why. He wanted Violet by his side forever…but it would never happen now.

A small gust blanketed the area. There was a noise right next to him. Bryce looked to see Staravia with a berry in its beak, looking at him concerned. "Star?" it asked.

Bryce continued to look at the ground, silently crying while his tears splashed into the soft earth. Staravia dropped the berry and bumped his head against Bryce's, trying to figure out why he was crying. Bryce turned away from it. All he wanted right now was to see Violet. Staravia took his hand in its beak, throwing it up onto its head. It knew now why he was sad. Losing the one who means the most to you is a pain no one can truly know unless it's happened to them. Staravia had lost its entire family when wild Spearow and Fearow attacked their nest.

A white light engulfed Bryce's mind. He saw the Staravia, still as a Starly, resting with its brothers and sisters while its parents watched. Then the Spearow and Fearow came. The parents tried to fight them off, but it was no use. They dropped to the ground almost instantly. They went for the next, mercilessly attacking all of the kids. Starly had played dead, and worst of all, had to lie in his sibling's blood to not be killed. The vision faded, and Bryce looked into the Staravia's eyes.

"You know… you know that pain."

The bird nodded sadly.

"It's horrible…" Bryce said. He hugged the bird's neck, still crying. Staravia picked up the berry and gave it to him. Slowly, Bryce grabbed it from his beak.

"Thanks." He smiled.

The bushes rustled, signaling that Violet was approaching. Staravia let out a small cry, rising into the sky, leaving Bryce to talk to her.

*Whatever happens Violet, I want you to know…you and I will always be okay…*

_Author's Notes: So I hope that explained the whole marriage thing well enough. Also let me know if calling Violet's best friend Lucario is confusing. So will they get married? Was that even Violet approaching Bryce? Find out soon… IMPORTANT: I can make the rest of the story 1 or 2 chapters. Which do you want? With 2, you'll see the first one quicker, and the Bryce/ Violet story WILL NOT be over in the next 1 or 2 parts IF you guys want, but I'll get to that in the final part of __Us Against the World__._


	23. Chapter 23: Forever and Ever

Chapter 9: Forever and Ever

The Staravia took off, back to its home. At the same time, Violet stepped into the clearing. Her eyes met Bryce's. They just looked at each other for a moment. Bryce looked like a beaten man; Violet had clearly been crying. Bryce smiled at her. Even now, she still looked beautiful…

Violet ran into his arms, tightly embracing him and sobbing into his chest. He just held her close, silent tears falling from his face as well. There was no way she would let him go. Bryce kissed her cheek softly, still holding her tightly. He almost felt like an older brother who protected his younger sister from her enemies.

"Bryce…I'm so sorry…I…" Violet said between sobs.

"Violet, it's not your fault. I know you'd never want this, not ever." Bryce said. He looked at her lovingly. "I know better than to think you would do this."

She put her paws on his cheeks and kissed him passionately, releasing all the anger and sadness she felt. Going to see Bryce was a good idea. Bryce knew she needed him right now, just holding her and comforting her.

"Violet…" he started, taking her paws in her hands. "No matter what happens in the next few days, I want to thank you. I used to be someone without any real friends or family, but I found both in you. There were times where I'd think that no one would ever care about me, much less love me. I owe you so much for all you did. You are the most beautiful, incredible, wonderful, smart, funny, and brave Pokémon I know. You're amazing Violet, you really are."

"Bryce…" she started.

"Don't think for a minute I'll forget what you've done for me. I never knew happiness or love until you. You gave me hope in a tomorrow. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you."

"That's not true."

"Read my mind." Bryce said.

Violet focused her aura and ventured into his thoughts.

_Flashback_

Bryce was a few years younger, typing away at the computer. She couldn't read what it was, but he got up and opened a drawer. He pulled out a gun and loaded it.

*No… you wouldn't…* Violet thought, shocked.

The younger Bryce put the gun to his head, but he couldn't pull the trigger. Violet walked over to the computer. The note read:

_To the individual who finds this:_

_The world has become too unbearable to live in. There was nothing for me to live for, so I chose to end my life. Do what you will with my belongings; I have no need for them. My parents were never close to me, and there wasn't anyone who cared about me. Please, save others from my fate. Even if I couldn't find something or someone to live for, the world doesn't deserve to live in the darkness I was surviving in. Farewell._

_Bryce_

The young Bryce closed the document, sighing and putting his head on the desk, crying.

_End Flashback_

Violet looked at Bryce, crying. "How many times did you almost…"

"Six. Five times before I knew you and once after you left. That's how bad the pain was; I just wanted it all to end. There wasn't a moment where I didn't feel hopeless…but then I met you. You're like a light to destroy all of the darkness away in my heart. I know that part of me will always be in my memory…that was the lowest I ever was. You saved me Violet, and I'm eternally grateful. I love you with all of my heart and soul, and I always will. You could be married to Lucario…but I'd still love you. I don't care if it's wrong. You could betray my trust…but I'd still love you. There's nothing you can ever do to stop me from being in love with you, Violet. I wish I could stop this marriage, because I know I want YOU by my side forever and ever. I can't ever express how much I love you."

Bryce held Violet tighter than ever. "Thank you…thank you so much…for everything…I love you so much, and no one will take it away." He let it all out, sobbing into her shoulder and hugging her tightly. "I love you…"

Violet kissed him softly and let him cry himself out. She knew he felt just as bad as he did, if not worse. They leaned against each other, falling asleep holding each other. Staravia circled over them momentarily, noticing his friend happily curled up with a Lucario. He flew off, not wanting to wake him.

A few hours later, Bryce awoke to see Violet asleep, smiling. "I love you Violet…and I always will." He said softly, kissing her on the muzzle. She awoke, but her beautiful smile faded.

"I guess I have to go back now…" Bryce's face fell. She grabbed his hands, holding them in her paws. "Listen, I want you to come to the wedding. I know you feel bad, but seeing you there might make this a little easier."

He nodded. While he knew he couldn't just run up and take her away, he did know that Violet would make sure not to start the marriage unless he was there. "If you want me to be there, I will."

Honestly, he thought it would be worse if he was there. Bryce didn't want to see the moment when he would lose Violet forever…but he would do anything for her.

Violet kissed him passionately one more time. "I'm sorry it had to be like this." She said, tears in her eyes. She slowly got up and walked off.

*So am I.* he said.

That night was the worst of Bryce's life. He didn't sleep at all because he was worried about Violet, but something else was in the back of his mind…

_Author's Notes: One more chapter left before a very important question. Will Violet desert her family? Will Bryce try to kidnap her and take her away? Or will Violet be stuck marrying her best friend? Find out next time! _


	24. Chapter 24: Regret

Chapter 24: Regret

The next morning, Violet awoke after barely sleeping. Since the wedding was tomorrow, all of the preparations would be done today. That also meant she would be working so much, she wouldn't be able to sneak off to see Bryce today. Weddings within a group of Pokémon were always a big event, and often more than one couple would be married. So there would be groups looking for extra food, others getting the place ready… and all of the chit-chat that came with weddings. For a long time, Violet just lay on her bed, not wanting to get up and work on something she didn't want to happen. Finally, she arose and walked outside, where preparations were already being made. Her mother walked over.

"Morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"No."

"Well, you'll be tired after what we need to get done today, so you'll be able to sleep quite well after today."

As her mother instructed her on what to do, she had no choice to obey. However, her mind wasn't on the work. She subconsciously worked on cleaning up while she thought about Bryce and all they had gone through. It was hard to believe this all started from her wanting to see other worlds. That was the best decision she had ever made. There were so many good times on earth. Now she was getting married in less than a year. Violet knew though…this wasn't her choice and she didn't love Lucario. This was her parent's decision because they wanted her to have kids and continue their family line. She was the only child they had, and if Violet did have a brother or sister, they wouldn't care if she got married or not. Just because of her purple eyes, they thought she had no worth…Bryce didn't care though. He loved her for who she was. That was all she really wanted…someone who loved her for who she was. Lucario didn't care if she had purple eyes either, but they just wanted to be friends, nothing more. There wasn't any attraction to him at all. She sighed.

_Meanwhile…_

Bryce wasn't motivated to do anything he usually did. He just felt anxious and scared. Staravia showed up and Bryce stroked his neck absent minded. How was it less than a year ago he was alone on earth with no hope left? Accidentally finding Violet that night was the best thing that ever happened to him. He met someone that cared about him and gave him hope. All the times they played videogames, listened to music, or even just talking…those memories were the best ever. Bryce wished he could just take Violet away from here, but if she wanted to leave, it was her decision. He wasn't even sure if he could bear to go to the wedding. Part of him didn't want to see that moment when he wouldn't be able to be with Violet ever again, but Violet needed him there. Bryce was mad at himself; that shouldn't have even been a thought. He couldn't just ditch her like that. Even if they did leave, where would they go?

_Back at the village…_

Violet felt even worse looking at everything fully ready for tomorrow.

"Looks like it might rain." Her mother said. "Oh well, we could always have the ceremony inside." She looked at her daughter. "You'd better get some sleep for tomorrow."

Violet nodded. Now she knew what Bryce meant when he said he needed to get away from his parents. Night had come and everyone was heading back to their homes. Violet walked inside her room, but she couldn't shake that thought from earlier. Looking around her room, she saw of the things Bryce gave her, standing out more than the casual things her parents had given her. Her mind was made up. She waited until everyone was asleep, then she grabbed all of the stuff that Bryce gave her and put them in a small pouch she had weaved. Opening the door, she took one last look at her house. It wasn't her home and she knew it. As she turned to the night, Violet ran into Rio. They just stared at each other for a moment.

"So…you're leaving?"

"Yes, and don't try to stop me."

"I'm not…I just want to say goodbye." Rio said softly.

Violet gave him a hug. "I realized two important things today: what I want to do with my life, and who I want to spend it with."

"I know. I won't be able to change your mind, and I don't want to. Now, go to him. You two deserve each other."

Violet walked a few feet. "Will I see you again?"

Rio's red eyes gleamed back at her. "I don't know… I may leave this place soon myself. If fate allows it, I'd love to see you again…with Bryce."

Violet nodded. "I hope to see you again, too." She slowly turned away and walked to where Bryce's camp was. Rio watched her leave with a contented sigh. "Stay strong."

Violet walked through the dark woods towards where Bryce was. Night always seemed more eerie when she was in the woods. Thunder began to break the silence of the night. Violet looked up to the sky. No rain yet, but it was very, very close. After walking around some bushes, Violet reached the clearing…but Bryce wasn't there. Nothing was. She ran into the middle of the open area and looked around. There wasn't any trace at all…no sleeping bag…no pillow…just a lone piece of paper. She approached it as if it was poisoned, but after inspection, Violet picked it up and read:

_Violet:_

_I don't know when you'll read this, but you'll probably come looking for me after the ceremony. I couldn't go…it just pained me too much. I'm so sorry I let you down, and that's why I left. After thinking about the past two weeks, I realized I was being selfish. I wished to come here and see you again, not realizing that I dragged you away from your family and friends. One day, I will return, and I hope to learn along the way how to be the best I can for you and you alone. Nothing will ever stop me from becoming the best I can and should be for you. I love you with all my heart. I'll see you…someday._

_Your soul mate, _

_Bryce_

*He left? No… why?* Violet's mind was all over the place. She knew one thing: she had to save Bryce from himself. *Bryce…you're not getting away from me!* Violet focused her aura and closed her eyes to find him. However, he was too far away for her to find. Her eyes opened in frustration. Falling to the ground, all she could think was losing everything.

"Staravia!"

Violet looked into the sky to see Staravia. Bryce had mentioned helping the bird…maybe the bird could help her, and in doing so…help Bryce.

"Can you help me find him?" she asked the bird soaring above.

"Star, star." It nodded, turning to the west and flying off. Violet followed it as the rain came down lightly. She rushed through bushes and grass, dodging trees and Pokémon resting or trying to avoid the soon-to-be downpour.

Bryce was slowly walking along a path that had a small pond on one side, trees on another. The rain was starting to get worse. *Maybe I should make camp under a tree or someth…*

His thought was cut short as some bushes a few feet behind him shook. He turned to see Violet burst through them. Standing still, Bryce couldn't breathe. Violet looked around the area before her eyes met his. The rain was becoming heavier by the second. Bryce took a small step back.

"Go back, Violet."

"What?" she asked. Bryce could barely hear her over the rain, but he knew it wasn't a 'what?' to ask him to repeat it. He knew this would hurt…but it was better like this.

"Turn back." He said, tears in his eyes. All Violet could see was his mouth move; the rain was too loud. Bryce took one more step back before turning around and bolted away. For a moment, Violet just stood there in shock before realizing what happened. She immediately took off after him while Staravia followed farther behind.

Upon looking back, Bryce found that Violet was closing the gap. He turned right into the forest, hoping to lose her in the maze of trees. However, this was a bad move. Violet knew the forest well and while he was fast, she was faster. Bryce almost ran into a wall before turning left. Violet sensed him turn left and took a shortcut. Still running as fast as he could, Bryce felt horrible for leaving her like this, but she didn't deserve to be jerked away from all she knew. As he continued to run, he noticed the bushes to his left rustle before Violet sprang out of them, tackling Bryce into the ground. The pair slid a few feet due to the wet earth. As he tried to get up, Bryce noticed he was pinned down; his hands were forced into the ground by Violet's paws and her knees on his stomach.

"Let me go."

"Never!" she sobbed. Bryce refused to look in her eyes. If he did…he knew it would be all over. "Why? Why would you leave me when I needed you the most?"

"Because I've been so selfish to take you away from all you have. I should be better than that…you deserve better…" he said.

"I don't care if you're perfect; I love you for who you are, just like you love me. Loving someone for who they are and accepting any flaws they have are just parts of being together." She cried, her tears falling onto his forehead. Her fur was becoming soaked and sticking to his arm.

"Violet…I…I…this…what we have…it can't be the best thing for you." Bryce said sadly. "Your dad was right. If I were to be with you, where would we go? I don't have any money or shelter. I don't know where this could go, and I want you to be safe."

"Don't you get it?" she asked, shaking Bryce. "I don't care what's best for me! I want to be with YOU! You, the person who loves me for who I am…you, the person who would do anything for me…you, the person who is my soul mate!"

Bryce was astounded. He finally looked into Violet's purple, loving, irresistible eyes while the rain poured over her in the corner of his vision. She still loved him, flaws and mistakes…and even after this?

The two just looked at each other for a minute as the rain soaked Violet's fur and Bryce's hair.

"Bryce, I…" Violet started, but was cut off by Bryce leaning forward and quickly closing the gap between his lips and her muzzle. All of the weight on him was released as she let go of his hands and held his back in an embrace. Bryce returned the embrace, kissing her the whole time. He lost all the mental struggle and pain through that sweet surrender. Finally they broke apart, Bryce helping Violet up.

"Come on; let's get out of the rain." He said sweetly, picking Violet up and holding her bridal style, walking into a big, hollowed out tree. The both sat their bags down.

"I'm surprised we managed to hang onto those." Bryce said laughing. Violet laughed as well, cuddling up against him for warmth. For a few minutes they sat there, but then a great shadow cloaked the light from the lightning.

"Staravia." The bird said.

"You followed me all the way here?" Bryce asked.

"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have found you." Violet said.

He turned to Staravia. "Thank you. If you hadn't have been there, I would have made the greatest mistake of my life."

"Star." The bird almost seemed to smile.

"Yes, you can come in. There's plenty of room." Violet said.

The bird hopped inside, standing over a pile of dry leaves.

"Don't you dare sha…" Bryce started, but it was too late. The bird shook off all the water, most of which landed on Bryce and Violet. The two laughed. Violet began to dry off her fur while Bryce changed into a dry shirt and jeans. The storm was beginning to calm down.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I didn't sleep at all last night." Violet yawned.

"I didn't either." Bryce agreed, pulling out his sleeping bag for Violet. She got in and saw Bryce lean against part of the tree. Violet gave him a look.

"What?"

"Don't 'what?' me. You're sleeping here." Violet pointed to the other empty half of the sleeping bag.

"Fine, I just wanted to make sure it was okay with you." He said, climbing in, his face inches from Violet's muzzle.

"Man, it's going to be tempting to kiss you in your sleep." He teased.

"Love you too, now get some rest." She teased back.

The two fell asleep in each other's arms, while Staravia made a nest with the leaves.

Violet was on a tall mountain with Bryce. She looked out at the vast, unending landscape as a warm breeze flowed through her fur. Bryce had his arm draped around her, viewing everything. She looked at him lovingly before kissing him passionately. "I'm glad you're back." She whispered. After all this time, she knew she loved him. Her tongue poked against her teeth as Bryce opened his mouth to let her tongue in and let his roam freely. She felt her fangs brush up against his tongue as hers fought lovingly with his. Sadly, she woke up that moment…to find out she was making out with Bryce in reality, while they were asleep. Violet was scared at his reaction as he awoke. One look at her face told him what happened. They both were blushing fiercely.

"Did we just…" Violet asked.

"Dream about the same thing?" he finished. "Were you on that mountain too?"

She nodded. "Yeah…if you're close enough to someone physically and mentally, you can share a dream."

"Wow…"

"Seriously though, did we just…" Violet asked, still blushing. Her response was a close embrace and a kiss before Bryce slid his tongue into her mouth for a few seconds before breaking the kiss.

"Do that?" he smiled. "Yep, and I enjoyed every second of it."

"Star." Was the annoyed response from the corner of the tree.

Bryce chuckled and Violet giggled. "So did I." she whispered.

The two then fell asleep again, dreaming of each other. Bryce knew now, it didn't matter where this journey took them… as long as Violet was by his side, anything could happen.

_Author's Notes: Wow, was that a long chapter, but totally worth it for a fantastic finale! HOWEVER, THIS ISN'T OVER IF YOU WANT! Do you all want to see more of Bryce/ Violet? If so, know that my plans will have an adventure like story, but there will still be plenty of romance. My thoughts on where this could go brings in new characters, new challenges, but the same loving Violet and protective Bryce. So,__** DO YOU WANT THIS STORY TO CONTINUE? **__And no, it's not rhetorical. I actually want an answer from you all. I think my future for this could be a great Adventure/Romance, but it's up to you all._


	25. Chapter 25: A Reason To Live

A New Life

Chapter 1: A Reason to Live

A lone drop of water fell onto the face of a sixteen year old boy named Bryce. He slowly opened his eyes as his hand brushed off the drop of water, scattering it through the air before falling into the dirt. He looked over towards the corner where a Staravia was sleeping. After noticing it was still asleep, he looked at the other Pokémon in his sleeping bag…Violet. She was a beautiful, irresistible Lucario. Her kind and loving nature is why he was here now. She was sent as an ambassador of sorts to find out if Pokémon and humans on earth were compatible to live together. She was the first one to ever care about him, and he never knew that kind of compassion…until now. If someone told Bryce he would fall in love with a Lucario and travel to her world to be with her, he would have laughed, but after all they had been through, Bryce cared about Violet more than anyone, even himself. As he rested back into his original position with Violet in his arms, she snuggled into his chest and let out a content sigh. Bryce smiled at the sleeping angel. It was the most wonderful thing to be loved… and loved willingly! After being stuck on earth with parents that never noticed him and kids in school who only cared about themselves, it was nice to find someone that cared about him. Bryce fell back into a light sleep for a couple of hours…

As he woke for the second time, he noticed Staravia stretching its wings and Violet watching him sleep with her beautiful purple eyes. Once she noticed Bryce was awake, she smiled. He smiled back, pulling her into a quick kiss.

"Morning." She said.

"Morning. Did you sleep okay?" he asked.

She giggled. "Much better than the night before. It's nice to feel warm and safe in your arms."

As the three exited the hollowed out tree, they noticed the muddy ground covered in rain from the torrential downpour last night. "Okay, I know you want to stay with me…" Bryce said to Violet. He then turned to Staravia. "…but what about you? I'm going to try and find a town and see if I can't find a source of income. I don't have any idea what will happen…so do you want to come with us?"

"Star." The bird nodded.

"All right, if you're sure then." Bryce said. After packing up the sleeping bag, he turned to Violet.

"You wouldn't happen to know where the closest town is, would you?"

She shook her head.

"Star, Staravia!" the bird chirped. It turned around and spread its wings.

"He wants us to get on." Violet said.

Bryce nodded. Staravia was much bigger than the average bird, so it could easily support Bryce and Violet's weight. He slowly climbed onto Staravia's back and held out his hand to help Violet up. "Okay, we're ready."

The bird Pokémon rose quickly, flying up over the trees and to the south. The scenery was absolutely amazing. The landscape was covered in a shining glow from the sun reflecting the water. He looked over at Violet as her fur blew through the air. She looked back at him and smiled. Bryce leaned in to kiss her as she mirrored his action. There was no better way to start the day than to fly through the air, now clean from the storm, but also having a fresh smell and being with the one that meant the most to him. The moment was absolutely beautiful, but sadly ended as Staravia landed just outside of a town surrounded by flowers.

"Thanks, Staravia." Bryce said.

"Star."

Bryce thought a moment. "Maybe the Pokémon Center would be the best place to go first."

"Basing your thoughts on the videogame?" Violet teased.

"Yep." Bryce chuckled. "Now come on."

Bryce walked along the path of flowers. They were all different colors, but none from earth. They were different shades of blue, purple, orange, pink, and white. It was like walking through a gigantic garden. It was still only about eight thirty, so most people were still inside. The few people outside watched Bryce walk through the town. They probably thought he was a trainer and wondering why two of his Pokémon were out of their PokéBalls… come to think of it, he didn't have any at all. Oh well, nothing he could do about that yet. It seemed like the residents were fairly welcoming. Several of them waved at him, to which he waved back. If he waved to someone on the streets of earth, they'd either stare at him like he was some kind of crazy or call the police.

Finally, the trio approached the structure with the red roof. Knowing this was the center, Bryce walked in, the doors sliding shut behind him. He was greeted by a young nurse with a white gown with a matching white hat with a red cross on it. Her pink hair was fashioned into two ponytails. Bryce would have found her pink hair odd if he didn't already know this was Nurse Joy.

"Good morning. Would you like me to heal your Pokémon?" she asked.

"Are you two okay?" he asked Violet and Staravia. They nodded. Bryce turned to Staravia. "Okay, but I still want your wing to be checked. I know you evolved, but just in case." Staravia nodded again.

"Okay, if you could just return him to his PokéBall, I'll check out his status."

*Oh, great. I didn't think about this.*

"Well, I can't exactly do that. He's not my Pokémon."

"What do you mean?" She asked before noticing Bryce's worn out clothes and backpack. "What exactly have you been doing?"

"It's a long story…"

"Well, there's no one else here, so why don't you explain it while I look at Staravia's wing?" she smiled.

Bryce nodded, following her to the examination room. She began to check the bird's wing.

"So what happened to his wing?"

"He was trying to fly through a small fork in a tree as a Starly, but he caught his wing on it."

She continued to examine the wing. "…and he evolved later?"

"Yes, I fixed the wound as best I could and he evolved afterward."

"In that case, he should be fine." She smiled at Bryce and Violet. "Your Lucario has beautiful eyes."

*So it wasn't my imagination…* Bryce telepathically told Violet. She blushed, but Nurse Joy thought it was from her compliment. He cast a quick look at Violet. "I know. Sadly she's not mine either."

*Oh, I'm yours all right.* Violet mentally teased. He smiled at Violet. She smiled back.

"You two are in love, aren't you?" Nurse Joy asked. They both blushed. "I thought so. You've got that look in your eyes when you look at each other. I've seen many a trainer pass through those doors, and it's easy to tell when a trainer has feelings for one of his Pokémon."

"Is it that obvious, though?" Violet asked.

"Ah, so you can talk." Joy smiled. "Only to those with a keen eye. It's hard to mask love. So what's the story?"

Bryce explained about being from another world, how he met Violet, how they fell in love, about making the wish to come here…the planned wedding…and how they ran away.

"Aw, that's so romantic. You two are so lucky to have each other." Joy smiled. "Accepting each other just how you are and being willing to make sacrifices…those are marks of true love."

Both Bryce and Violet were a crimson red. Nurse Joy walked over to a cabinet and took out two PokéBalls. "Here, these are empty PokéBalls. You can capture them now."

"Is it okay with you two?" They both nodded. Bryce threw one at Violet, the other at Staravia. They disappeared in a red glow before both of the PokéBalls fell to the ground. They shook three times before flashing, signaling they had been caught. Bryce released Violet again. So it was now official. All three of them were in this together.

_Author's Notes: Finally got the chance to start the 3__rd__ part of the Bryce x Violet series, and it's about time. Sorry it took so long; I had some personal issues to work out (…) but hopefully I'll be able to continue this one on a regular basis. I apologize for this not being made as fast as it should have been and if it's a little shaky, it's because I wrote this at 3am and it was all just off the top of my head. I've already brainstormed for the next few chapters. I hope you continue to encourage me to write. Read and Review!_

"_In our darkest hour, when there is no one there for you, hope will be the light to guide you." -Me_


	26. Chapter 26: The Dreams

Chapter 2: The Dreams

"So, would you like to stay for the night?" Nurse Joy asked cheerfully. "It's on me."

Bryce didn't object. He didn't mind sleeping outside, but comfort at no cost was very appealing. "Sure, if you're okay with it."

"Of course." She smiled. Walking to the front desk, she picked up a key card. "Here, this is the key for room four. It's the second door on the left."

"Thanks." Bryce smiled. He walked through the hallway. With no one else in the entire Center, it felt empty. Violet was looking around on occasion, as if someone was going to jump out and scare her. Bryce was used to having an empty house back on earth. Upon reaching the door, Bryce slid the card into the lock, hearing a small click as the small light on the lock turned from red to green. He opened the door to what looked like a small hotel room. "Wow…now I know why trainers love to stay here."

There was a bathroom directly to the left with a sink, toilet, and a shower with a sliding glass door. All of the towels and soaps were neatly aligned in an organized fashion. In the actual room, there was a queen size bed with several fluffy pillows and dark blue sheets. There were also several baskets and mats for any Pokémon that wanted to rest outside their PokéBalls. A flat screen TV on top of a dresser was situated in front of the bed. Next to it was a fairly big writing desk with a notepad, pens, and a lamp. A small refrigerator sat in the corner. Best of all was a large floor to ceiling window with a magnificent view of all the flowers they passed on the way here.

Bryce set his bag with all of the stuff down, taking out the still slightly soaked clothing from the rain the previous night. As he hung them up to dry in the bathroom, he asked Violet, "So what do you wanna do? It's only about noon."

Violet thought for a moment before smirking. "I want revenge for Rainbow Road."

"On Mario Kart DS six months ago? I have no idea what you're talking about; that was a clean hit."

Bryce emerged from the bathroom with a sly grin on his face. He pulled out his DS along with Violet's. He had given it a purple decal to match her eyes. For the next three hours, the two raced on Mario Kart, some races ending very close. Bryce was going to win, but he didn't have to. She beat him when he didn't hold back.

"Ha! I gotcha'!" she smiled victorious.

"You'll always be my best videogame student."

"Well, it seems the student has surpassed the master." Violet teased.

"Alright, that's it." Bryce said as he pushed her onto the bed and tickled her until tears came to her eyes.

"Hahaha-B-Bryce, s-s-stop it!" She laughed. Finally, he let up. She grabbed him, pulling him on top of her in a huge hug which he happily returned. The two just sat there, holding each other for a moment.

"…at least I never resorted to using Boo." She finally said.

"Hey, don't hate on the Boo; he's the best Mario character ever. Besides, I can't control what he steals, and DK just happened to have a lightning."

Violet burst into giggles. "What's so funny?" Bryce asked, laughing from her contagious voice.

"It's just…this seems so perfect right now…what we have. We're a couple, but still have a friendship like when we first met." She said.

Bryce smiled. "That's true. I just can't believe I left my entire world behind…and I don't have any regrets at all." He laughed.

"You don't miss your home at all?" Violet asked.

"Earth was never my home. If home truly is where the heart lies, you are my home." He replied romantically.

"…Bryce?"

"Yeah?"

"…I love you." She smiled.

"…I love you too… more than anything." Bryce smiled back. He felt disappointed when he had to get up to take out Violet's blanket and his music player. "You want yours too?" he asked, holding her purple MP3 up.

"Sure." Violet said. She had grown accustomed to falling asleep to her music. As he set up the bed, Violet watched the sun set. As the sky turned orange with splotches of purple from the clouds, the flowers seemed to glow with a mystical light. "Wow…" she whispered.

Bryce released Staravia. "Want to stay out of your PokéBall tonight?"

After noticing the big basket with the large green pillow, Staravia flew across the room and landed in the middle of the pillow, almost knocking the desk lamp in the process. "Star!" it chirped in joy.

While Violet was in the shower, Bryce was brushing his teeth and putting on deodorant when he thought he saw something flash in the mirror. "Were you checking me out?" Violet's voice echoed.

Bryce chuckled. "No, I thought I saw something flashing."

Violet exited the shower, drying off with one of the towels. "What was it?"

"I don't know, but it probably was nothing." Violet shrugged, leaving the bathroom with Bryce behind her. He scooped her up, causing her to gasp, and then laugh. Bryce set her under the covers before getting in himself. Staravia was already asleep as Bryce kissed Violet goodnight, turning off the light and holding Violet in a spooning fashion.

*Where am I?* Bryce thought. There was nothing except white everywhere…but then a hooded figure came into view. Bryce couldn't tell who he was at all. The background formed and Bryce realized he was just outside of the town. The cloaked man started to walk out of the town. Looking around, Bryce decided to follow him. They passed through a small forest. As they walked by a reddish-brown tree, the figure stopped. There was a large area where there were no trees or any sign of trees ever being there.

"Legion of Light." The figure spoke. A large house came into view as the entire dream faded away…

Bryce awoke slowly. Noticing Violet and Staravia were still asleep, he decided not to get up. He simply kissed Violet again, taking off her MP3 to save the battery now that she was asleep. After setting it aside, he went back to sleep, dreaming of Violet.

_Author's Notes: Not much plot here, but that's because I wanted a small romantic thing for Valentine's Day, even if it is a day late (so that means it was made and posted on my birthday :D . Yeah, I'm 16 now). I know these first parts aren't too interesting, HOWEVER, stick with me. We're only about 2 or 3 chapters away from seeing old faces and THREE new OC's. You heard me, I said three. I promise it'll get better. Sorry for not updating, couldn't get in the mood and had to get rid of a virus on my computer. Read and Review. Until next chapter! _


	27. Chapter 27: Through it All

Chapter 3: Through it All

Violet was watching Bryce chase Staravia around trying to get his DS. She laughed as Staravia flew circles around her. As she looked up into the sky, she noticed it get dark…abnormally dark. Staravia flew in between Bryce and her when a huge lightning bolt struck the bird as it fell to the ground. Bryce and Violet ran towards it and met at the same time. Violet watched in horror as its aura faded…into nothing.

"What happened?" Bryce yelled over the thunder and wind. Before Violet could answer, a crimson stain appeared on his chest and a silver blade pierced his skin. Violet let out a blood curdling scream…

…which more than woke all three of them up. Staravia flew up and straight into a wall. Bryce nearly fell out of the bed. He turned the light on and noticed Violet trembling in fear. He moved in to give her a big hug, but she beat him to it, grabbing him and embracing him tightly before crying loudly.

*It must have been a nightmare.* Bryce thought. He quietly motioned for Staravia to go back to sleep. He set Violet on his lap, rocking her back and forth slowly.

"It's okay Violet. It was just a nightmare." He softly said, kissing her forehead. As she continued to cry on his shoulders, he softly hummed her favorite song. Slowly, she began to stop shaking and crying. Bryce held her at arm's length before pulling her into another hug. "You okay?" He asked.

She nodded slowly. "That's never happened before…what was that?"

"A nightmare. They're caused by not enough sleep or distress from a new environment. It's just like a dream though; none of it is real." He softly said. "You wanna talk about it?"

"It was horrible; you don't want to hear it." Violet said timidly.

"Violet, it's my job to protect and care for you. If it'll help, I'll listen."

She sighed before telling him about Staravia being electrocuted and him being stabbed. At the end of it, she did feel better.

"That's my greatest fear…losing you. It's the one thing I can't afford." She sobbed. Bryce continued to hold her. "I know. It's mine as well. You're my best friend, my soul mate, and my true love. I'd give my life for you, no question. I'll never let you fall, I promise. I'll be with you through everything because I know someone like you only comes once in a life time. I'll always be there for you Violet…always." He smiled.

Violet looked up into his sapphire eyes…and in that moment, she knew he was being completely honest with her. Bryce would always watch over her and keep her safe. He truly was her guardian. She pressed her muzzle against his lips, kissing him passionately. While Bryce was surprised, he returned the affection happily. Breaking apart, he said "We should go back to sleep." Violet looked apprehensive.

"Don't worry, I know a way to help. Just concentrate on what you want to dream about and nothing else." Bryce laid Violet under the sheets so they were facing each other. "I promise you'll be safe. Everyone has nightmares at some point. Sometimes a nightmare is where you learn a lot about yourself."

Violet lovingly smiled at him. "Thanks." She looked into his eyes again before Bryce turned the light off again. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her snout under his chin. Nothing could have made her happier than knowing for sure that Bryce would never leave her…ever. There was no way she would leave him either. After all the pain and suffering he endured alone, he deserved to be love and be loved. Slowly, Violet drifted off to sleep again.

In the morning, Bryce woke up to see Violet asleep with a big smile on her face. He admired her blue fur radiate in the sunlight as she awoke, yawning and showing her fangs. She looked at Bryce before laughing happily, pulling him into a hug. "It worked!" She beamed, her blue tail wagging happily. Bryce returned the embrace. "Good!" Violet quietly walked into the bathroom so she wouldn't wake Staravia up. Bryce watched her walk away before he realize he was staring at her butt as her tail was still wagging.

Violet giggled. "I know you were checking me out that time, and don't deny it."

Bryce turned a huge shade of red. He didn't realize it, but he was checking her out, and wasn't being subtle at all. Little did he know Violet took her time getting to the bathroom on purpose. He stammered out. "I-I…okay, yeah I was." She shot him a look that was a mixture of "Naughty" and "I love you too" before closing the bathroom door. It was all Bryce could do not to burst out laughing. The whole thing was funny to him.

*I ought to tease her sometime.* He chuckled. *Too bad I'm not attractive at all. I really don't deserve her. She's the most beautiful girl ever.*

Bryce always felt like he wasn't good enough for her. He couldn't give as much as she could, even though he wanted to. He wanted to be closer to her than he was now. Of course, he'd never do THAT with her. It was as if someone set a bar that was impossible to reach. When would he ever feel like he was worth something? Right now, he was just a love struck teenager who was broke. Then he remembered the dream. What if that was real? He told Violet dreams and nightmares weren't real, but wishes were. Geno had brought him here…

Violet emerged from the bathroom, still drying herself off. Quickly, he turned his DS on to act like wasn't thinking the entire time.

"I know you were thinking the whole time." Violet said. "I just wish I could entertain myself as well as you."

Bryce walked towards the bathroom. As he met Violet halfway, he held her with one hand in a small dip, kissing her passionately. "What was that for?" Violet asked, surprised but pleased.

He shrugged. "Did I need a reason?"

She giggled as she finished drying off and Bryce closed the bathroom door. After he turned the shower on and waited it for it to warm up, he sat with his back against the door, silently crying.

*…because I love you Violet, and I'd do anything for you.*

_Author's Notes: Before anyone asks, NO they won't. This is rated T, not M (some people only read Romance for the "intense" parts). If you truly love someone, you connect in several ways. It felt weird writing this, but only because I checked to see how long it was and it was already over 1,000 words. The first part of this only had 1 or 2 parts over 1,000 and now it's even easier than it was before. I really like having an artistic vent and writing this (and I hope you all enjoy reading it too). You guys are a VERY big support in my life, even if you don't realize it, so I'd like to really thank you so much for the encouragement and support. Read and Review, and I'll see 'ya soon! :D_


	28. Chapter 28: Follow Your Dreams

Chapter 28: Follow Your Dreams

_Before you start reading, know that some of this was typed up during drama class, so if it seems like my concentration isn't on the story, I apologize. So on that note…_

After Bryce finished his shower, he walked back into the room. Staravia had woken up and was looking out the window.

"Don't worry, we're leaving in a few minutes." Bryce said.

"What exactly is our plan?" Violet asked.

"There's something I want to check…" Bryce trailed off.

After packing up everything, Bryce returned Staravia to his PokéBall. Before he returned Violet to her PokéBall, he looked her in the eyes.

"Keep in mind that some people won't accept us." He said. That was already noted after the fiasco with Violet's parents. "Do you want to stay out of your PokéBall?"

She thought a moment before nodding. "All right." He kissed her quickly. "Since I won't be able to do that for a while…" he joked. Violet stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "This is gonna be harder than I thought." They exited the room and walked over towards the front desk. "Thanks for letting us stay the night, Nurse Joy."

She smiled. "Oh, it's not a problem. The champion's challenge only started a few days ago, so there was nobody here. If you head east, you should reach the next town within about two hours."

"Thanks for everything." Violet thanked Joy.

"Sure! I hope to see you again!" She waved to the pair as they left the Pokémon Center.

"East it is!" Bryce said. The two crossed through part of the town, watching the flowers blow in the morning wind. "I wish I could live here." Violet thought aloud.

"We should come back when everything is set up for us." Bryce replied. It was a good idea. He'd love nothing more than living with Violet in a small, beautiful town like this. The two continued to walk out of Floarama Town and into a slightly wooded area.

*This looks oddly familiar…* Bryce thought. He shook the thought out of his head. For a while, he and Violet just talked about several topics, some serious, some silly. It wasn't until Bryce saw a reddish-brown tree up ahead. He squinted to see further and noticed a small area where there weren't any trees.

"Violet?"

"Yeah?"

"How long have we been walking?"

She thought for a minute. "About half an hour." As she turned around to look behind her, she noticed they could still see the town fairly easily. More important, they hadn't been following the path for most of the walk. Turning back to Bryce, Violet noticed he was still focused on the clearing. "Are you alright?"

Slowly Bryce started to walk forward. "…I've seen this before."

Violet caught up to him and walked by his side. She noticed he was in some kind of a daze. They quickly reached the clearing.

"Violet…if what I'm thinking works…I might have lied when I said dreams aren't real." He said.

"Bryce, you're scaring me. What are you talking about?" Violet asked.

He closed his eyes. "Legion of Light."

Before Violet could ask why he said that, a house appeared. It looked as if it had been cloaked. Bryce walked up to the door and put his hand on the handle.

Violet placed her paw on top of his hand. "Bryce, I don't know if this is safe."

Finally, he looked Violet in her beautiful purple eyes. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

"With all my heart, but…"

"Violet, something is calling me here. I wished I could come see you again and that was granted, but I wished for something else…to be able to protect you."

She looked confused. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is…there's a reason I knew this was here." He took her other paw in his right hand. "Violet…I want you to have the best life you can…and I know this is just another step in our adventure together. You've always had my back through everything, so I need to help you through for a change." He kissed her lovingly.

She smiled happily, her tail wagging madly. "All right."

Bryce opened the door to the house. "Woah!"

The house was much bigger on the inside than the outside. The pair slowly stepped in, looking around for something. Violet closed her eyes, examining the place with her aura.

"What do you sense?"

"Wow…this place is enormous. There's no way this place is the same space as it is on the outside…there's only one way this could be possible…magic."

Bryce smiled. He always loved imagining having a magical background. After all, magic was how he was here now.

"There's also someone in the living room." Violet finished, pointing to a door about halfway down the hall. "I don't sense malice, but be careful."

Bryce nodded, leading her to the door. He slowly opened it and looked around. The living room, like everything else, was very big. There was a figure in the center of the room.

"Geno!" Bryce said, walking over to him. "How've you been?" he said, shaking his wooden hand.

"I've been well." He replied. "So Violet, it's nice to meet you…"

She walked forward, smiling and giving him a hug. "Thanks for letting Bryce come here."

"No problem, no problem." He reassured.

"So you sent that dream showing me this place?" Bryce asked.

"Not I, however it was sent by the Legion of Light. They enroll the help of anyone who they consider strong."

"So what exactly do they want?"

"Think of all the times in history where things mysteriously happened. That was them. Basically, they go out and vanquish anything that threatens a world. You know few of them: Myself, Luigi, Mallow, Fox McCloud, Marth…"

"So what exactly do I have to do?" Bryce asked.

"I'll let them explain it better. You can stay here until Friday and then at noon, they'll send a portal here." Geno explained, gesturing to the room. "This place will have all you need: Food, shelter, entertainment...pretty much all you'd ever want."

Bryce nodded. They had the rest of today and tomorrow before the portal would show up until then. He figured he might as well see exactly what they did before coming to a decision.

"I don't have any extra time, so I'd better be going. I'll see you around." Geno finished, disappearing with a sweep of his cape.

Turning back to the beautiful Lucario before him, Bryce asked, "Want to go exploring?"

"Sure, why not?"

Bryce extended his hand and she took it as the two began to look around the house. It really did have everything. There was a large music room with records, CD's, a full arrangement of instruments, a sound booth…it was amazing.

There were several blank rooms for a bedroom. Bryce was confused before he realized there was a red X on the ground. He stepped on it and a voice spoke: "Imagine what you want the room to look like."

Violet watched him think before the room began to change in color. She gasped once she realized it was just like her old room on earth, only bigger. Running forward, she gave him a big hug. "It looks just as beautiful as it did on earth!" she said, embracing and kissing him.

"Feeling rather affectionate, aren't we?" Bryce teased. She playfully punched his shoulder. "Come on, let's keep looking around."

In other rooms, there was a huge gym with all types of equipment imaginable. Another had a huge TV with a Wii, Xbox, PS2, and a humongous stack of games lining the wall. Violet had to stop Bryce from drooling. She was a gamer too, but not anywhere close to Bryce.

However, the best room by far was the one filled with white orbs. They showed locations like a forest, a mountain, a beach…pretty much every location possible. Violet and Bryce walked onto a beach with a wonderful sunset. Bryce stretched out on a chair, Violet lying on top of him, and together they watched the sun set. As night fell, the constellations appeared slowly. Violet looked at Bryce, smiling.

"This is beautiful."

"Yeah…" Bryce agreed, pulling her closer to him. *I wonder…* he began to see some of the stars move around. They formed a heart in the night sky. Then a message became visible in the heart:

_B&V Forever_

Violet smiled, looking into Bryce's sapphire eyes. "You did that, didn't you?" She asked. He just smiled lovingly at her. She smiled back, leaning forward and pressing her muzzle against his lips. One kiss led to another, which soon turned into a make out session. Eventually Violet curled up into his chest, purring happily.

"I love you so much." Violet said softly.

"I love you too." Bryce replied. He let Violet fall asleep before slowly standing up with her in his arms. He walked out of the beach and back to her room, setting her under the covers. For a while, Bryce just stood there, watching her sleep with a smile on her face.

*She's so adorable.* He thought, smiling. He turned to go sleep in another room before hearing Violet growl loudly. "Okay, okay." He apologized, climbing into the empty space next to her. She continued to purr as he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her one last time before turning the desk light off. "Violet… I want to be with you forever…"

_Author's Notes: I'm REALLY sorry for not updating, and I hope this makes up for it. So what is the Legion of Light? Will Bryce join them, or is this whole thing a trap? Find out…on the next episode of Dragon Ball Z…just kidding :P. See you guys in the next chapter!_


	29. Chapter 29: The Perfect Day

Chapter 29: The Perfect Day

**NOTE: I switched the update with a chapter, so make sure to read it or else this chapter won't make any sense. That means Chapter 28 is one page back.**

Violet awoke to the faint smell of pancakes and bacon. After noticing Bryce wasn't there, she ventured into the enormous kitchen and found him there. He walked forward and kissed her on the cheek.

"Morning." He said happily.

"You're up early." Violet pointed out. "Usually we wake up at the same time."

"I thought I'd get breakfast started and let Staravia out of his PokéBall. I completely forgot to let him out, so I got up early and explained everything. He's at that beach area, flying around."

Violet smiled. "Who knew you were such a talented cook?"

Bryce chuckled. "I guess having to fend for myself since I was ten gave me some good skills after all."

After setting all of the food on the bar, the two began to eat. Both of them hadn't had a good meal for quite a while. "So is it good?" Bryce asked.

"Really good! You should teach a class." Violet swallowed another bite. "So what do you want to do today?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked." Bryce said in a tone mocking sales advertisements on TV. "I've comprised a convenient color-coated list with everything to do and for how long."

Violet rolled her eyes. "…and just where is this list?"

Bryce laughed. "You know me better than that, V. This day is an open book. We can do anything you want."

Violet smiled warmly at her new nickname. "You seem much more happy than usual."

He smiled back, looking into those eyes he loved so much. "It's just nice to have all this with no drawbacks. After all of what we've been through, I finally feel free."

Free. What a wonderful thing to be. Not bound by earth and others trying to drag him down. It was just him and the person who meant the most to him. No more sorrow, no more pain, nobody to waste his time. He could finally do all of the things he never had time for.

Violet took his hand in her paw, looking into his eyes and seeing his happiness. She began to tear up. "It's so wonderful to see you happy…truly happy."

Bryce gave her a huge hug. "It's wonderful to be truly happy." He let her go, but still held her paw. "So what do you want to do?" He asked as he got up and cleaned all the dishes.

"I'd love to go back to that beach." She smiled, her tail wagging ecstatically.

"Sure!"

The two walked upstairs and into the room with all the spheres of light. As they stepped into the area, Staravia almost flew straight into Bryce. Fortunately he was quick enough to duck before getting his by Staravia's talons. Violet laughed loudly.

"Who's side are you on?" he asked.

"Whichever makes me laugh." She teased.

"Oh, you want to make something of it?" Bryce joked. He punched her shoulder playfully before she tackled him. The two playfully wrestled for a while before deciding to swim. Bryce remembered last night. Thinking for a second, his attire changed into a pair of black and purple swim trunks. Violet blushed.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing…" she looked away.

Bryce chuckled. "You're cute when you blush."

She bit the end of his ear. "What was that?"

"Okay, you're always cute."

Violet let go and kissed his nose. "You're so sweet."

The two walked out into the surf and dove underwater. Bryce had realized that as long as he believed or imagined something could happen, it would here. He dove underwater and inhaled without any problem. The salt water didn't burn his eyes and he found he could even talk. After explaining to Violet how it worked, she joined him and they swam just above the coral and sand. There were several underwater plants and even a few multi-colored fish. Bryce took Violets paw in his hand and flew above the water and into the sky. The few clouds that were there were fluffy and showed no sign of rain. The two flew through the air. Bryce just watched her fur blow softly in the wind and her amethyst eyes sparkling from the suns reflection. Eventually the two landed on the sand, dry from all the flying around.

"That was amazing…" Violet said as if in a trance.

"Yeah…"

Bryce and Violet went into the game room and played several games for a long, long time. It had been a while since either of them had played anything, except for the DS, but old rivalries were ever present. There were several mishaps and victories… just an all out great gaming session. During some of the Smash Bros. matches, Bryce thought about what "vanquishing anything that threatens a world" could mean…maybe he should have been preparing? He figured probably not; he didn't know exactly what that meant anyway. Besides, this was much more entertaining for him. Having a free day was a wonderful gift, and he wasn't about to waste it.

After dinner was close, Bryce imagined something in his head. Violet could tell his mind wasn't on the game at hand, because he started losing badly. Before she could read his mind however, he finished the thought. "Hungry yet?" he asked.

She nodded. Heading back to the kitchen, Violet noticed that the meal was already done and the table was set with a beautiful red cloth. The lights were dimmed and candles began to burn, giving a romantic feel. "So that's what you were thinking." She smiled. The couple enjoyed the experience, as neither had ever gone to a fancy restaurant. After finishing their meals, Bryce picked Violet up in his arms, bridal style. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. She tried to nibble on his neck romantically, but it just tickled Bryce to no end. It was funny for her to watch him keep his grip on her and not fall over laughing. He did make it back to the room however. Bryce and Violet took a shower (separate showers, mind you) and Bryce carried Violet back to her bed.

"If you go to another room to sleep, I'll bite you." She threatened.

"I wasn't planning on it…I learned my lesson from you growling at me last night."

She giggled. "I didn't growl at you."

Bryce looked skeptical. "So you growled in your sleep?"

"I…uh…" she said flustered. He kissed her lovingly before climbing into the bed and turning off the light on the nightstand.

"Love you too." He finished for her. She cuddled up to him, resting her snout on his shoulder.

"Exactly." She sighed before falling asleep.

_Author's Notes: I know there wasn't much plot advancement; that's for next chapter. I just wanted something sweet for this one :). So what will the Legion of Light have in store for Bryce? Will there be some "evil" he'll have to take down? And will Staravia continue to be a klutz on occasion? Find out one of these answers in the next chapter! Read and Review, and thanks for doing so! :D_


	30. Chapter 30: A Hero?

Chapter 30: A Hero?

Bryce once again woke up to the most beautiful thing in his life…Violet. She slept with a peaceful expression on her face as she cuddled Bryce. Slowly, he leaned forward and kissed her on her nose. Violet's eyes slowly opened. Looking up at Bryce, she smiled. He smiled back, kissing her again. No matter how many times they kissed, hugged, or did anything romantic, it never got old. Every kiss was different, but just as wonderful as the last. Maybe it was just something that love did to them.

"Morning." She said softly. "Sleep well?"

Bryce nodded. "You?"

"Very." Slowly Violet got up and headed to the shower as Bryce walked into the kitchen. Staravia was in there, looking at a small electronic device. There was a note by it. Bryce picked it up and read:

_This will let you communicate with Staravia. Just have him eat it. –Geno_

Bryce looked back at the counter, but the chip wasn't there. "Where did it go?"

"I can read, thank you very little." Staravia said.

"Whoa…cool, so now I can actually understand you. Feel like breakfast?" Bryce asked.

"Nah, I've already got it covered. I ate a few Pecha Berries earlier."

Bryce shrugged. "Well, I've got to leave at noon, so it looks like you'll have to cover lunch too."

"Fine with me." He replied.

Bryce began to cook an omelet for Violet. As the aroma flooded the kitchen, Violet walked towards him. Turning around, Bryce almost burst out laughing.

"What?" she asked.

"Did you…uh…do something different when you showered?"

"Just used the blow-dryer afterward…" she trailed off.

Bryce couldn't help it anymore. He burst out laughing. "Your fur is all fluffy!"

He was partially right. While her blue fur was fairly short, all of Violet's longer yellow fur was all fluffed out. She looked down and laughed. It did look silly.

"I-it's n-not fu-funny." She said, stifling a laugh.

"Y-yeah it is!" Bryce laughed. "You're trying not t-to laugh."

Both of them continued to laugh for a while.

"I think it looks cute." Bryce said.

"Speak for yourself." Staravia said, coming back into the kitchen. "It is kind of funny though."

"You can talk to Bryce now?" Violet asked. Bryce explained the chip and the note from Geno.

"At least I won't have to translate for you anymore." Violet teased. "I wonder if you can learn different languages at…wherever you're going."

"Maybe…that'd be pretty cool to learn Booish or Pokémon language."

"Booish?"

"The language of Boos. They had that sign in Super Mario Galaxy that said it was written in Booish, remember?"

"Oh, yeah."

Violet and Bryce continued talking for a while before the portal appeared.

"I guess I'd better get going." Bryce said.

Violet's ears drooped until he gave her a long, passionate kiss. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." He waved goodbye before stepping into the portal. As the light intensified, Bryce was forced to shut his eyes…

…as he opened his eyes again, he noticed he was in what looked like an office.

"Ah, your part of the new recruits?" A figure cloaked in white said from one of the chairs.

Bryce nodded.

"Very good." He turned to face Bryce, but he still couldn't tell who he was. "Please sit."

As Bryce sat in front of the figure, he continued: "There are a few parts to joining this place. First, however, you'll probably want to know more about what we do."

"Yes, I didn't get much information from Geno." Bryce said.

"Well, basically the Legion of Light is a group that combats evil. We can even go through time and space itself to face enemies. There are very dark forces everywhere. In fact, without the Legion of Light, all worlds would cease to exist. The darkest forces are sometimes erased from history to prevent further catastrophes later on. The rules here are actually not very strict, the only thing is very few are actually chosen. You must be here because you can sense something wrong with others."

*That would explain Violet's village.* Bryce thought. "What about living conditions?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. That house you found is yours…should you choose to join. There's always anything you need there. So…are you willing to join?"

Bryce thought for a moment. This would be the perfect opportunity for Violet to be with him and have a house with everything they would need…they wouldn't have to worry about money, food…

"Sure." He finally said.

"Good! So for the first part of enrollment, tell me about yourself: Why you're here, who you're doing this for…things like that." He seemed to smile. "…and don't worry, I've heard just about everything."

Deciding that he could trust this man, Bryce told him everything about meeting Violet, falling in love with her, leaving their "families" behind, and ending up here.

"…and that's about it." Bryce smirked, "…but I didn't have to tell you that. You already knew."

The figure looked surprised. "Yes, I did. We always go over anyone who has potential. I know all about you, from birth to now. That was a test to see if you trust me…and you do." He paused momentarily. "So on that note, I'll have you see Dwyer. He will see what you're capable of."

Bryce looked confused. "Meaning?"

"Meaning what you could wield as a power: a sword, magic, anything really. He has a way of looking into people's souls." The man snapped his fingers and another portal appeared. "This will take you to him."

"Thanks." Bryce stood slowly and walked into the portal. As he looked around, he noticed he was in a huge cave with ice on the floors, walls, and ceiling. There was an exit with a huge snowstorm outside. What was really odd was Bryce didn't feel cold at all. It was if he was in an almost tropical climate, even with all of the ice and snow.

Suddenly, an old man appeared from a door on the other side of the cave. "New recruit, eh?" he asked.

Realizing this was probably Dwyer, he nodded. The man was wearing a light blue cloak and held a wooden cane in his right hand. He also had a long beard and green eyes that seemed to look through the soul.

"Very well." He walked over, examining Bryce. The whole time, Bryce felt like he was at the doctor's office. As the man checked his height, weight, and examined his "mental state of being", he let his mind wander to Violet. As Bryce was hoping she wasn't too lonely or bored, the man looked at his eyes. "Interesting…"

"What?" Bryce asked.

"One of your eyes is purple…is that normal for you?"

"Sometimes. My…" Bryce looked for the right word "soul mate made it so when we think of each other, one of my eyes would turn purple and one of hers blue. It only works when we're far away though."

"…and your soul mate has purple eyes?"

"Yes, she's a Lucario. Apparently she was born with purple eyes."

"A Lucario, hmm… well, not the first time I've heard that. She must have beautiful eyes." He smiled.

"She does." Bryce said. He was trying not to get sidetracked by daydreaming of Violet.

"Very well. I've finished, and I must say, you've got a great magical talent in you. You'd make a talented mage…of any kind actually! That's not common at all, in fact, I only know of two others like that…and one of them is myself!"

"…So do I need to choose an element or…" Bryce started.

"My dear boy, you can't waste a gift like that! You must practice and master all the elements!" Dwyer exclaimed.

"I will. So, what's my next step?"

"For now, that's all you need to do today. Before you go…I've got something for you." His hand began to glow a light green. As the light went into Bryce's chest, he felt a weird sensation.

"I think that will make giving your Lucario a hug much more enjoyable." Dwyer chuckled. "Now, I'll send you back. They'll send you another portal at around 10am."

"Thanks for the gift." Bryce said as the portal generated. Stepping through it, Bryce found himself back in the living room. Violet walked in. "You're back!" She smiled.

"Yep!"

"So…how'd it go?" she asked.

Bryce explained everything with great detail. "…but the best part is this." He gave her a full-on hug…and her spike didn't faze him at all. It passed right through him with no problem.

Violet smiled, purring into his chest. "This feels nice."

Bryce smiled back. "Yeah…" he said dreamily.

Bryce and Violet spent the rest of the day talking about what the Legion would have in store before spending the night in each other's arms… without having to worry about her chest spike.

_Author's Notes: FINALLY! I have time to write! :D Hope you guys love the story. Read and Review!_


	31. Chapter 31: No Train, No Game

Chapter 31: No Train, No Game

Bryce awoke earlier than normal. He was anxious to start training, so he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep. For half an hour, he just watched Violet sleep. Bryce sighed contentedly.

"I love you so much, Violet." He admired her features in the small amount of light. He loved the warm feeling of her fur against his skin, her warm paws around his back, the beautiful smile, the happiness she radiated… only one thing was missing. Once she opened her eyes, it was there. Those eyes…it was like staring into heaven. The glow in those eyes completed the picture that was the beautiful Lucario in front of him. He just looked at her, smiling.

After a while, Violet looked puzzled. "Are you okay?"

He continued to smile with a dreamy look on his face. "I'm great." Pulling her closer to him, Bryce gave her a long kiss. Then he let his emotion take over him as he kissed her face all over. Violet giggled and kissed back. After a while, she stopped laughing. Then she became worried again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Bryce stopped disappointedly. "Yeah." He got out of bed and headed for the shower, locking the door behind him.

*Maybe I shouldn't let my emotion guide me…I don't want to upset her…* Bryce thought. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. He didn't want to lose the only person that meant the world to him. Sighing, he stepped out of the shower. After he got dressed, he walked into the kitchen. Bryce was hungry earlier, but now he couldn't eat. He walked over to the couch and got one of the books off of the shelf and started reading it. Violet walked over and immediately knew something was wrong. Bryce wasn't a huge fan of reading; he would much rather be playing a videogame or something more interactive.

"What's wrong now?"

He looked up with a blank expression. "Nothing. Are you hungry?"

Violet began to focus her aura. "Don't…" Bryce protested, closing his mind. Sadly for him, he was just a little too late.

"Bryce, that didn't upset me. I was just surprised to see you being so affectionate early in the morning."

"I just…didn't want to scare you. I'm here to protect you, and I don't want you to…" Bryce started, but then stopped, realizing how stupid he sounded.

"…to be afraid of you?"

"No, I…don't want you to…not love me after I do something I didn't think through." He choked out.

Violet was near tears. "Bryce, I'll always love you." She embraced him tightly. "No one is perfect, and I'd be a fool to give you up." She kissed him softly. "Nobody will take you away from me…not even you." She smiled.

Slowly, he smiled back. "I love you, Violet."

"I love you too, Bryce."

The two cuddled until the portal appeared for Bryce. "I'll see you soon, beautiful." He teased before walking through.

Bryce opened his eyes to see the room where he was interviewed about his past.

"Welcome back." The same hooded figure spoke from the chair. "There are just a few more things for you to do before starting officially. First, you need your uniform…and before you complain, it's completely up to you how it looks. The only requirement is it will have a small logo visible to other members, should you ever have to go to other worlds. Some retired members might be able to help you."

Bryce nodded. "Where do I need to go?"

"Nowhere. Just imagine what you want to wear for your uniform."

Bryce concentrated for a moment before a ring of light formed around his legs and went up past his head. Bryce was now dressed in a dark purple cape that fell to just above his ankles with violet pants and a violet shirt. The cape also had a hood, but it was off right now, hanging behind Bryce's head.

"Now you will put your abilities, judged by Dwyer, to use." Without another word, the unknown figure teleported Bryce to what looked like a hallway with multiple training rooms. The door on the far left had a sign that said, "_Beginners stop here first_". Bryce turned the handle and walked in the room and was met with about fifty pairs of eyes. While he didn't expect to be met with all of these faces, his expression didn't convey it all. Quickly looking around, Bryce sat in one of the chairs positioned around the room. As everyone continued to stand or sit where they were, Bryce noticed straight away that no one was talking. There were several species: multiple Pokémon, a few members of what looked like the Cornerian army, a couple of Zoras(1) and Gorons(2), some laguz(3)… but no other humans.

*Somehow, that doesn't surprise me.* Bryce thought.

Another Pokémon walked through the door, and Bryce noticed something out of the corner of his eye. There was a board with a message: "_Beginners left: 1_"

*It must decrease every time someone walks in.*

As the final beginner, a Sheikah(4), walked in, the message counted down to zero before fading away. Immediately, two figures similar to the hooded figure from the office appeared. They wore the same cloak as the figure as well, the only difference was one wore red and the other blue.

"Welcome to the Legion of Light!" The red figure said happily.

The blue figure cleared his throat. "All right, I'll make this quick. We're going to split you up into groups to work with you individually or as a group of two or three. If you remember, the hallway outside of that door had others like it. Simply find the door with your race and step through. There will be more doorways like it, so keep selecting the category that fits you. That is all; you may head to your doors now."

Some of the faces smiled in appreciation, others merely rose and headed out the door. Bryce waited for the doorway to clear out so he wouldn't have to fight through the crowd. He did the same thing at school back on earth, and just like earth, it paid off. However, he wasn't the only smart one, as the Sheikah teleported from behind the door to in front of her door.

As Bryce walked down the hall, he watched the others walk through other doors. Finally he reached the door with "Humans" at the very end of the hall. Walking through it, he saw more doors. As he went through the doors that were marked "Male", "Spell caster", and "Mage", he found himself in a predicament. There were doors marked from left to right: Fire, Wind, Thunder, Dark, and Light… but he was supposed to master them all…

Just as he realized this, a golden door formed on the left wall with the word "All". Bryce walked to the new door and turned the handle. Walking into the large training room, he noticed a man in golden robes, similar to the door's color.

"Ah, it's been quite a while since I've had a student. Welcome." His voice was soft, but it seemed to project very well. "Now, I'm going to tell you right now- you and all of the other beginners will be in a contest in a week. The contestants who do the best will have the best assignments in the future…and all of the other contestants who place well on their team."

Even though Bryce was curious to know more about the challenge and teams, he was much more eager to get into training.

"Now, that's enough of that. Let's get into training." He motioned to Bryce, signaling him to follow him back to a set of targets ranging from the size of a car to a baseball. "Oh, and call me Glynn." Upon reaching the targets, Glynn conjured several books in mid-air. There was one green, another yellow, and also a red, black, and white.

"As you already know, these are tomes. These actually aren't required for mages or sages experienced enough, but you'll never be able to unleash magical ability until you touch one at the very least. So, which would you like to start with?"

"It doesn't matter to me." Bryce shrugged. He knew that he'd be practicing with them all. Besides, he didn't know what to expect from using each one.

"Very well, we shall start with Light magic. It is typically the weakest of spells, but also the easiest to handle." Glynn grabbed the book, still floating, and handed it to Bryce. The moment the book touched his outstretched hand, he felt magic course through him.

"Now you should be able to cast a weak light magic attack. Reading the book and practicing will make your magic become stronger, and that works with any spell. Now, let's see you hit the largest target. Each spell requires a different emotion. Light requires happiness, so think of an uplifting thought."

That was easy for Bryce. He thought of the time he watched Violet out above the gorge at his father's ranch, illuminated in a golden light from the sunrise. Instinctually, he extended his hand at the target. As he did this, a ball of light shot from his hand and into the target, destroying it.

"Well done." Glynn said. "Let's see if you can hit the other targets."

Bryce had no problem destroying all of the other targets. Once they were all gone, they reformed and moved back into place. Bryce handed the book back and Glynn swapped it out with the dark magic tome.

"Dark magic is typically the strongest of all spells, however it can be harder to wield and it also has a low accuracy. For this spell, you need to think of something that makes you feel depressed. With this type of spell, you need to release the monster within."

Bryce thought a moment. Remembering all of the times before Violet, when he was alone with no one to care about him…he recalled all of the rage when extending his hand forward. A dark ball of energy shot at the largest target and destroyed it with ease.

"Good. Remember to keep the rage under control. That's one reason that many dark mages and sages in history are evil. They lose control. If you can hold it in, then dark magic is actually a very helpful spell for the side of light as well. Now, aim for the others."

Taking caution not to lose control with the anger built up, Bryce destroyed all of the other targets with spheres of shadow.

"It seems you have a real knack for this. I remember the last student I had, and he missed those last three targets." He shrugged. "Then again, there's usually one type of spell that everyone has trouble with." Chuckling, he handed the thunder tome to Bryce as he took back the dark tome. "This is the one I couldn't control when I started. Thunder spells are the second strongest, but they also have low accuracy. This one requires a thought of anger, not rage. Rage can sometimes seem as if there is no meaning to it, however anger is usually a dislike with reason."

_* The thunder that strikes the earth is my anger.(5)* _Bryce thought. He remembered the hate against his parents for never acting like they cared. Extending his hand, lightning shot from it and destroyed the target almost instantly.

"That was a powerful strike. You've definitely got good memories to draw on using these spells."

Bryce merely nodded as he obliterated the other targets. Taking the thunder tome back and handing him the red one, he continued to explain the spells.

"Fire. This type of spell is right in the middle in both power and accuracy. If you have a strong love or passion for something, this should prove easy to wield."

That was the easiest one yet. Just one thought of Violet was sufficient. After all, she was who Bryce was fighting for. With Violet in mind, he held up his hand yet again a gigantic fireball destroyed the target.

"That's a much bigger fireball than a typical mage could produce starting out. Whatever that memory is, never forget it; because that is the strongest fireball that tome can produce."

Bryce smiled. Handing back the red book, he then took the light green tome from Glynn.

"You haven't had trouble yet, but as I said, there is always one type of spell that every mage or sage will struggle with one type, so this must be the one you will struggle with. Wind is the weakest type of spell, but it is the most accurate as well. I'd suggest thinking of something that sets you mind free."

This one took Bryce a moment to think of. Free…when was a time he felt free? Of course…the only time he ever felt free was kissing Violet. He extended his hand and aimed at the target. A strip of wind cut the target in half as if the wind was a sword. Continuing to think of Violet's warm embrace, Bryce destroyed all of the targets…almost. Once he reached the final target, a sudden rush of memory came back to him- this morning when he scared Violet. The gust of wind formed and shot near the target, but it just barely missed it. Immediately, Bryce knew why. He had to trust himself and his memory.

"That's to be expected. I'd tell you how to fix it, but judging by your expression, you already know how."

Bryce nodded. *Maybe I should talk to Violet when I get back.* He thought.

"Well, that ought to do it for today. You may not realize it, but when you start out, that much practice will strain your magical ability. So…" he handed all of the books to Bryce. "I mentioned that reading the spells will increase your power with the spells, so choose one of these and read it in two days. You won't have a class tomorrow, so enjoy the day off."

"Already a day off?" Bryce asked.

"Yes, the Legion has never been known for giving a strict schedule. Plus, I know that you know how to fix the problem with using the wind spell, so I'd suggest getting to that."

"I will." Bryce said as the portal appeared. "Thanks for the help."

"Not a problem. It's been a while since I've got to teach. Now I know why I missed it."

Bryce walked through the portal and back into the living room of the house. Setting the books on the small table in front of the couch, he went to look for Violet to apologize for not trusting her. Turning the corner to the hallway, he was met with a blue blur tackling him and pinning him to the floor.

"Violet, what the-" he started before she kissed his face all over before planting a warm passionate kiss right on his lips. Bryce was too surprised to respond, but then Violet gave him the "you're supposed to kiss me back" look. The two stayed lying on the ground in a passionate kiss for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry-" Bryce began.

"No, I am. I should have realized you were just being romantic. It just caught me off guard." Violet put a paw on his chin and ran it up the side of his face smiling. "I love you, Bryce."

He smiled back. "I love you too, Violet."

Violet kissed him again, with more love she had then ever before. She let her paws roam freely, and quickly Bryce was as well. They hugged and kissed until they were worn. Finally, they broke apart and got up. As they continued their day eating and going to the beach area for a walk, Bryce explained everything as Violet listened with interest.

"…but now I know I can use that wind spell."

Violet smiled. "So you know what memory to use?"

"Yep. This one."

Right as the sun set, Bryce pulled Violet close to him and kissed her, putting his arms around her waist. She rested her paws on the back of his neck and happily kissed back. After breaking apart, the two left the beach and went to bed without another word…because no words were needed.

_Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long. It was a mix of FanFiction not letting me update (but that's fixed now) and starting my new story (which if you haven't, you should check it out). I think this delay was worth it though. I'd rather have a good chapter that took a while rather than a quick, sloppy chapter. :) Hope you liked it!_

_Side Note: Since someone brought it up in a PM, if anyone would like to draw artwork for BrycexViolet, I'd love to see it. Just keep it clean (meaning no sex, perverts :P. Just kidding, you guys are cooler than that). Something like a kiss or them laying out on a chair cuddling would be cute. You don't have too, just thought I'd bring it up if any artists are interested._

(1): Zoras are an aquatic race that serve the Royal Family. They are from Zelda.

(2): Gorons are a race of rock-like creatures that are known for their power. Also from Zelda.

(3): A half human, half animal warrior. They transform into a cat, tiger, hawk, raven, wolf, or dragon. They are from the Fire Emblem series.

(4): Shadow folk who serve the royal family. There is not much known about them. From Zelda.

(5):This is a quote from Flat (part of the dead Royal Family), one of the composer brothers. His brother sold his soul to the devil and he teaches Link the Song of Storms, commenting on how the rain is his tears and the thunder is his anger. From Zelda.


	32. Chapter 32: Second Time Lucky

Chapter 32: Second Time Lucky

For the first time in a long while, Violet awoke before Bryce. After what happened yesterday morning, she felt guilty about not being comfortable with Bryce showing her how much he cared, especially because Bryce never had any friends or real family before her. Smiling, Violet leaned forward and kissed him passionately. Once Bryce woke up, he noticed Violet kissing him, but before he could kiss back, she let go.

"Listen Bryce, I really am sorry for yesterday. I should have…" She started.

Before she could continue, Bryce kissed her quickly. "Stop talking." He said before pulling her into a long kiss. He wrapped his arms around her furry yellow back, pulling her closer to him.

"I know you, and you'd never do something as awful as stop loving me for something so small. Nobody's perfect…though you're close." He smiled.

"I love you." Violet smiled, tears in her eyes.

"I love you too…everything about you makes me love you more." Bryce said sweetly, his thumbs caressing her cheeks to wipe the tears away. "You've got the cutest ears, beautiful purple eyes, a warm loving smile, and a great personality. I love watching you do anything, even if it's something as simple as walking. I love how your tail wags when you're happy. I love how you bring out the best in me, and how you'd do anything and everything for me. I love that you don't try to be someone else…but most of all, I love you because you're the most kind, caring, loving, sweet, and beautiful Pokémon ever." He finished, pouring out his heart.

Violet was so happy, she was sobbing into his chest. "C'mon V, please don't cry." Bryce said softly.

She looked up at him. "It's just…I love you so much…that was the most beautiful thing anyone has said to me."

"…but you've done everything to earn it." Bryce responded. "Don't ever think poorly of yourself, because you're the strongest person I know, and…"

He wasn't able to finish his compliment, because at that moment, Violet kissed him quickly. "Stop talking." She said before pulling him into a passionate kiss. After they broke away from each other, Bryce got out of bed.

"Well, I'd better get practicing on that spell." He said.

Violet nodded. "I bet there's a training center in the room with all of the portals. I'll come and watch later, first I've got to shower and get something to eat."

Bryce nodded, heading to the room with the portals. As expected, the portal on the far left had a room with targets and other equipment. After finding a bench, Bryce opened the book and noticed something strange. The writing in the book was written a language he'd never seen…but he could read it as if it were written in English. Still, he read the tome, cover to cover. After he was finished, he shut the book and rose from the bench, walking over to the targets. He closed his eyes and thought of last night, when he was truly free. Opening his eyes and extending his hand, the saber of wind obliterated the targets. After all of them were destroyed, they reformed and reset back to their original location. After a while, he decided to see if there was anything else he could do with the spell. There had been sections of the book that explained other uses. Concentrating, he focused the power of the tome and extended his hand towards the ground below his feet. The result blew him into the air a few feet before falling back down. Bryce continued to practice with the result, and after half an hour, he could rise and fall to whatever height he wanted. He also learned he didn't have to keep his hand focused on his feet. As long as his mind was focused on the memory with it, he could mentally control what the wind did.

Violet walked in without Bryce noticing, so she snuck up on him while he was a few feet in the air. She may not be able to fly, but she was still a powerful Lucario. With her strength, she easily jumped up to his height and whispered "Boo" into his ear. The result sent Bryce crashing to the floor. Violet giggled. "Ten point landing."

Bryce focused his spell under Violet and made her float up on top of a tall cabinet. "You look much more decorative up there." He smirked.

She laughed, jumping down. "So it looks like you've got it down."

He nodded. "It wasn't too bad once I realized how to do it."

"So what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Violet asked.

"Relax." Bryce answered.

_Author's Notes: I know this one was short, but the next part of the story will be exciting and lengthy: the contest, which is an ALL OUT BRAWL! That'll be a fun part for sure. Thanks for the support and as always, read and review! _

_Also, a VERY big thank you to BlazingEclipse8 for doing some fantastic artwork for this story!_


	33. Chapter 33: The Test

Chapter 33: The Test

Bryce woke up, smiled at Violet's sleeping face, and after kissing her softly, rose and went to get breakfast. He wanted to have energy for the upcoming "exam". After eating, he went back to the training room to practice until he had to leave. About fifteen minutes before he had to head out, Violet walked in to see him.

"You're up late." Bryce said.

Violet looked at him lovingly, but he could tell she was busy thinking about something else. "I know, but I've been awake for a little while. I was wondering…if there was some way to…possibly make me human."

"Why would you want to do that?"

Violet looked at him. "If I was human, I'd be perfect for you and…"

Bryce interrupted her with a warm embrace and a kiss. "You're perfect for me the way you are. If I could fall in love with you as a Pokémon, and still love you now as a Pokémon, then you know I'll always love you for who you are…a Pokémon. I love you, and you love me. That's all that matters."

Violet smiled up at him as he continued. "I know your parents didn't want us to be together, but you chose me. You've made sacrifices to be with me…because you love me."

Violet held him close to her, beaming as her tail wagged happily.

"…besides," Bryce added, "Why would you want to get rid of that cute tail of yours?"

She giggled as the portal appeared. "Make me proud."

"I hope to." He replied, stepping into the portal.

Unlike normally warping into his teacher's training room, he was once again inside the room with all the new recruits. A voice spoke from the speakers from the ceiling.

"Everyone, in a few minutes you will all be facing each other to determine what group and rank you will be placed in. Before that, you will have three minutes with your instructors. You will be warped there now."

A few of the contestants looked ready to destroy each other, while others were terrified. Some of them just looked like they didn't care, but Bryce was willing to bet they were thinking of ideas.

As they were all warped to their instructors, Bryce thought he noticed someone looking at him, but he didn't have enough time to see who it was.

Bryce expected his teacher to swarm him with tips and tricks, but instead he just explained a little about the layout and what to expect.

"Now, you are going to be transported to a randomly generated field. It will have multiple areas to go, but one by one they will be blocked off. If the room turns red, you have thirty seconds to get out. Otherwise, you'll be automatically taken out. Also, none of the hits you take or deal will actually hurt someone physically. There will be a health bar above their head. Blue is full, green is almost full, yellow is half, and red is near defeated. Once defeated, players 'dissolve' out. Also, you will start out with a very basic weapon, but you can find others, however, they are either hard to reach or out in the open where you could be easily taken out. That's about all you need to know."

"No tips or anything?" Bryce asked.

"I know you have plenty of ideas up your sleeve, and it is your test, not mine. So you'll be fine." He smiled.

"Time's up." The same voice spoke.

"Good luck out there."

Bryce nodded before being sent into the battlefield.

All of the players were warped into a battle field with steel containers, pipes, and several passageways. It looked like the inside of a steel production factory. There were six rooms in total, but the one that everyone was in was gigantic. Bryce also immediately noticed weapons on the ground, including a thunder tome very close to him. While nobody could move, they could look around. Luckily for Bryce, there were no contestants very close to him.

*Looks like the best thing to do is hide for a little while until there are less players.* Bryce thought.

"Contestants! Here are the rules. Everyone will be given a weapon they can use. They will be given to you now."

At that moment, all of the weapons floated up from the ground in front of their respective owners. Bryce's weapon was a wind spell.

"Second, you may have already noticed that there are other weapons laying around. Some of them you may have never even seen, but they are first come, first serve. Also, when a certain amount of time has gone by, some of the rooms will flash red. After that happens, you'll have a minute to vacate that area. If you don't, you'll be eliminated. Other than that, there are no rules. Remember, you can't actually be hurt or injured, so fight as if you were in an actual situation as this. Now…BEGIN!"

Bryce quickly ran towards the thunder tome and quickly ran back to the corner he was near. Kneeling back behind a steel crate, he looked around. Hiding at first was a good choice. It was utter turmoil everywhere. As he looked around, he noticed an air vent directly above him. Figuring it was safer than hiding behind a crate, Bryce used the wind spell on his feet to send him soaring up to the duct and land safely on it. It was still so crazy in the room, no one noticed him.

Staying here was a much better idea. Not only was he out of harm's way here, it was easier to view the battles going on. As he looked to his left, he noticed a tome, however this one was blue. As he took the book in his hands and turned it over, Bryce realized what type of tome this was. A picture of a raindrop was on the back of the book. It was a water tome. He opened the book and began to read it, keeping an eye on the ensuing battle. The tome was a small one, but it did seem quite helpful.

Just as Bryce finished the book, there was a small flash on the air vent he was perched on. As he looked towards the location of the flash, he noticed the Sheikah from earlier that week. She turned to Bryce and their eyes met. Somehow, in that moment, there was a silent agreement to both stay here and not fight. Looking above her, Bryce noticed her energy bar was in the red.

"You made a smart choice, staying here until the beginning fight blows over." She commented.

"You were braver than me." He replied.

After that, they sat in silence. As Bryce watched the fight, some of the rooms closed off, but that wasn't his focus. He was looking for the people he expected to be here in the end. As Bryce noticed several contestants being eliminated, he realized the real threat in this game was a Quilava. He was wielding double swords, and he was destroying everything in his path. Bryce was hoping someone could take him out. If worse came to worse, at least he had the water tome.

It was strange how many ways players could be defeated. Most were beaten in battle, but there were others that were taken out by the closing rooms, a few were thrown into walls, some were actually hit by their own reflected attacks. In a room full of over a hundred players, it was amazing how long it was before they were taken down to only five. All that was left was Bryce, the Sheikah, Quilava, and two other Pokémon: A Grovyle and a Haunter. From what Bryce could tell, Grovyle and Haunter had teamed up to take out Quilava. Haunter was a dark spell caster, but he also used shadow ball and other Ghost type moves. He would attack from a distance while Grovyle would attack close range with kicks, trying to distract Quilava.

As they were fighting, a stray shadow ball reflected by Quilava flew at the air vent and slammed into the Sheikah's side, knocking her out. Bryce managed to not fall off as the duct shook. He felt sorry for the Sheikah being taken out by bad luck, but there wasn't anything he could do. Continuing to watch the fight, Bryce saw that Quilava had caught onto his opponent's plan. Grovyle tried a low kick, but Quilava jumped up high. Haunter threw a shadow ball; however instead of hitting Quilava, he performed a downward stab onto the unsuspecting Grovyle, knocking him out of the game. Haunter was surprised, but he continued to fight. Bryce quickly realized a ranged fighter wouldn't be able to take him out easily, and he'd have to make a move as soon as Haunter was defeated.

Sure enough, Haunter wasn't fast enough to dodge Quilava, and a horizontal slice sent him flying into the wall. Bryce floated above Quilava as he slashed Haunter one more time to defeat him, and used the water spell on his feet and quickly fell onto Quilava, delivering a powerful blow that took away a little over three forth's of his health. He was just barely above the red level on his health bar. He turned to face Bryce with a smug grin(1) that made Bryce tighten the grip on his tome.

Bryce shot two electric bolts at the ceiling, dropping some wiring which Quilava dodged. While he was preoccupied, Bryce electrified his shoes, which he learned also sped up his running and dodging. He also used the water spell to put water spheres around his arms. Quilava ran forward and attacked with a horizontal slice, which Bryce dodged and tried to counter with a low sweep. Quilava used the same strategy as he did with Grovyle, but as he came down in a stab motion, Bryce rolled behind him and shot the water off his hands, still in the shape of fists. Since Quilava was landing from the stab, he couldn't dodge the attack and slid backward with the power of the blow. His bar slid into the red and almost out of health. Bryce had been smart with his strategy so far, but he knew that mages generally have low health, so one hit could defeat him. Bryce used the electric ability so quickly run circles around Quilava and create three versions of himself(2). Quilava was facing one clone of Bryce and the other two were in his peripherals. The Bryce facing him ran forward, and Quilava destroyed him, which also took away a third of the real Bryce's health, and he ran towards the other clone of Bryce and defeated him with a vertical cut, but as he did that, the real Bryce used a newly created aqua sword and ran towards Quilava and delivered one final slice. Quilava turned to face Bryce and grinned. As Bryce looked down, he realized why. Quilava's other sword was protruding from his chest. They defeated each other at the same time. He smirked back and they were transferred back at the same time.

"…and with that, the contest is over! The top 5 players have been determined. In fifth:"

A pedestal with five places arose and Grovyle was standing on the lowest one.

"…in forth:"

Haunter was teleported to the place just above Grovyle.

"…third place has been determined after watching the fight in slow motion:"

A screen appeared with the final blows of Quilava and Bryce. It turned out, because Bryce's health was higher, it took longer for it to fall to zero. As he realized this, Quilava was teleported to the platform with the three below it.

"… the runner-up is:"

Bryce was teleported to the platform. It wasn't until then he realized: there was one other player. He must have been hiding out.

"…and our winner is:"

As the light cleared away from the winner's pedestal, Bryce looked up, shocked at the winner.

_Author's Notes: Finally! Time to actually post! Also finally are the OC's that will be appearing: Quilava, Grovyle, Haunter, and our mystery winner! Who is the winner? Find out next chapter!_

_PS: Let me know if the fight scene(s) was/were okay. I haven't written one before. _

_If you've watched Harper's Island episode 11 "Splash" where Shane fights Wakefield and he smiles creepily, that's what I was trying to imitate. It's hard to put into words though._

_That move is in an anime "Code Lyoko". One of the characters, Ulrich, has that ability (called triplicate or triangulate)._

_Read and Review!_


	34. Chapter 34: Reunion

Chapter 34: Reunion

*Rio?(1)*

"…so that concludes our contest. The scoreboard with all of the places of each contestant will be shown there. Your groups from now on will be split into groups of five, so the top five places will form a team, sixth through tenth will form a team, and so on. Now, check the results and find your team."

For Bryce, that was no problem. The top five players were standing right next to him.

"Didn't think I'd see you here, Bryce." Rio said, smiling.

"Neither did I. How'd you get here?"

Rio paused for a moment. "Well, two days after Violet left, her parents grew suspicious that I might have hidden her somewhere, so I decided the best thing to do would be slip away, so that's what I did. It never truly felt like home anyway."

Bryce nodded. He knew exactly how that felt.

Rio continued. "After traveling for a while, I had a dream in the middle of the night, showing me a house. When I woke up, I followed the path in my dream and found the house. Not a very big place, just a bedroom, bathroom and living area, but it was enough. Then I found out about the Legion of Light and decided to join."

"Interesting." Bryce said. He was going to ask more, but he was interrupted by the voice over the loudspeaker.

"Now the leader of each group will be the highest ranked contestant in that group. So for the first three groups, the leaders are the winner, sixth place, and eleventh place."

Bryce didn't care. He honestly didn't want to be the leader. I guess it's a good thing the leader wasn't determined by the performance in fighting, or else Quilava would have beaten Rio and himself by a mile.

"As for the living arrangements, one of you in each group will have a house that is much bigger than the rest. That's where you will be."

"I guess that's my place." Bryce said. *Wait, how did they know that one person in each group would have a bigger house? They couldn't have known the results before the game started…could they?*

"If anyone on your team doesn't have anything to do or bring, they may leave with the person with the larger living quarters now. The rest of you may go back until tomorrow to finish whatever you may need to."

"Well, I've got nothing to bring." Rio said.

Finally, Grovyle spoke. "I've got some stuff to do, so I'll see you tomorrow I guess."

Quilava nodded once in agreement. Haunter just mumbled something about 'finishing something that should have been finished a long time ago'.

The portals appeared and everyone went back to their respective homes.

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Bryce turned to Rio. "Quick, hide somewhere so you can surprise Violet."

Smiling, Rio nodded and hid behind the doorframe to the kitchen. No sooner had he concealed himself when Violet walked out of the game room.

"Hey you." She said, smiling. Bryce smiled back as the two embraced.

"So how'd you do?"

He shook his head, sighing. "I was hoping you wouldn't ask."

Violet's smile grew wider. "You are such a bad liar."

"Okay, fine! I got second out o-" Bryce confessed before Violet knocked him to the ground, kissing him lovingly.

"See, that's why you shouldn't ever doubt yourself."

Bryce shrugged. "I kind of just hid until the end, but so did the winner, so I guess that's not too bad."

Rio growled at him from his hiding place.

Violet looked puzzled. "Uh…what was that?"

Bryce explained how the groups were made and that one of the contestants decided to come back with him now.

"…he actually was the winner. Of course, there's no point in introductions, because you already know him."

Rio emerged from his hiding place. "That's low Bryce." He smirked as Violet ran toward him.

"Low, but true." Bryce replied.

Chucking, Rio embraced Violet happily. "It's good to see you again, Violet."

She smiled up at him. "I couldn't have asked for a better person."

Bryce was glad as well. Now Violet had the best of both worlds.

"Whatever room you want to use is fine, Rio. There are a couple down that hall and one or two on each floor."

Rio nodded, walking off to find a bedroom to use. Bryce turned to Violet. "Happy?"

"Very!" Violet said, her tail wagging back and forth.

Bryce smiled. "You're too cute when you do that."

Violet giggled. "I can't help it," she replied, wrapping her arms around Bryce, "Everything I ever wanted is within a moment away."

Bryce smiled, looking into her eyes. "Me too."

As he held the beautiful Lucario, he could feel her body shaking. "Geez, you need to lose some energy."

"Feel like playing Brawl then?" She asked.

"You bet. I'm always up for a match."

The two made their way to the gaming room. As Bryce found the CD and inserted it into the Wii, a thought crossed his mind. He sat down on the couch by Violet and started the game up. "So what do we tell the others about 'us'?"

Violet selected team match with them being Blue Team and two level nine CPU's as the Red Team. "Just say that Staravia and I are your guests and we're staying here. If Rio is the leader, then they can't do anything about it. Besides, they shouldn't care, so just don't mention it unless it comes up."

The match begun: Marth (Bryce) and Link (Violet) VS Ganondorf and Mr. Game and Watch. In the following minutes, several noises and yells came from the room, such as:

"Two nines in one match? Come on!"

"Stop spamming projectiles!"

"Why does a bomb land on me EVERY time I attack?" (2)

In the final moments of the match, Game and Watch was already gone, and the other three had one stock each. Link jumped into the sky and used the ending blow (Down A). Ganondorf grabbed a bomb and threw it up at him, but Marth purposely jumped into its path and it killed him instead. Right after, the attack from Link was successful and Ganondorf was sent soaring into the background and out of the game.

"Thanks for sacrificing you last life to keep me alive."

Bryce smiled. "I'd always give my life for you."

Violet pushed him onto the couch and crawled on top of him. "You're not going anywhere. You're staying right here with me."

Smiling, Bryce leaned in and kissed her passionately. Moments after, the two were heavily making out. Rio walked by, rolling his eyes and smiling.

"Ah, young love."

Grovyle finished packing everything. He stepped out of his house and walked a few miles into the forest. He soon found the secret place. Standing there alone in the middle of the night brought back so many memories. In that moment, he promised himself he would visit this place again someday.

Quilava had just completed gathering up everything. He took his saber and sharpened it. As he did so, he noticed a picture. He felt the hate from others that he somehow used to call his tribe. He put the picture away, but as he did, a gleam of gold words on the bottom shone in the moonlight, "Never Forget."

Haunter didn't have much to bring, but even so, it felt as if his life was starting anew. Maybe this time, his life would have purpose…after all of this; he knew this new journey is just what he needed.

I changed "Violet's best friend" to "Rio". Originally he wasn't going to be a main character, but he is now

I swear, this happens to me at LEAST once per match.

_Author's Notes: Finally I have time to write this chapter. Sorry it took so long with school, and I was almost hospitalized for a while. It's not fun having an EKG at only 16 (even if it doesn't hurt at all, it's still a scary thought). Also, I need your guys' help: I have got NOTHING for Haunter's Character. At all. I've got one attack for him and that's it. So if you guys want to post some character ideas, I'd be really glad to look them over and get some ideas. I promise I'll get better at updating more than once every two months or so. Finally, I redid chapter 12 if you want to go read it again. I PROMISE this story isn't dead and won't be. I keep drawing "DV21" on all of my school stuff . Read and Review, and thanks again for being so patient. _

_-DeltaViolet21_


	35. Chapter 35: The Next Step

Chapter 35: The Next Step

Waking up the next morning, Bryce sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He looked at his clock and realized he had slept in a little later than usual. Fortunately, it didn't matter today because his team was moving in. That wasn't the first thought that crossed his mind. The first thing he did each morning was find Violet. As he got up from the bed, Bryce heard the door open. Violet stood in front of him, soaking wet.

"What happened to you?" Bryce asked.

Violet ignored his question. "Good morning Bryce!" She said with a mischievous smile on her face. She slowly walked toward him, arms extended. Bryce took a step back, smiling as well.

"What, you don't want a hug from me?" She asked.

"It depends," Bryce started, "will I get a bigger hug if I resist or if I give in?"

Violet continued to walk to him until she was nose-to-nose with him. "I think you already know the answer to that." She giggled.

Bryce smiled as the two embraced, soaking Bryce's clothes. Whether Violet had intended it to be romantic, silly or annoying, he didn't care. All that mattered to him right now was Violet.

"Bryce…promise me that even though we'll have other people here, that we'll still have time to ourselves."

"Of course. I'm your soul mate first and foremost. Nothing is more important to me than you, and that's how it will always be."

Violet kissed him softly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Bryce responded, holding her closer. Even if his clothes were wet and cold, Violet's embrace made him feel warm, as if he was supposed to be there for all time.

"Well, now that I'm soaked, I'm going to go take a shower for real." Violet laughed.

"Ok, I'll take one after you." Bryce replied, taking off his now wet t-shirt. Violet walked towards the door, but stopped, turning around with a mischievous grin.

"I've got a better idea."

"What?" Bryce asked, completely unaware of what she was implying.

"Come on." She giggled, grabbing his hand and dragging him into the bathroom. She turned the shower on and turned to face him as the water was warming up. Before Bryce could say anything, she leaned forward and kissed him passionately, and Bryce immediately kissed back. After the water had warmed up and a fog-like aura filled the room, Violet slowly lowered her paws to Bryce's waist, and in one quick motion, Bryce was suddenly in his boxers.

Blushing heavily, Bryce tried to talk, but he just started saying gibberish. Violet just giggled again before kissing him again. As she broke the kiss, Bryce finally snapped back to his senses.

"Violet, maybe we shouldn't do this."

(I would like to take a pause here to reinstate that this is rated T, so there is NO explicit scenes. Sorry weirdos :P)

"Why not? We love each other."

"Yes, but I don't want to do something that we might regret…and if we're in the shower…you know…not clothed, then I might not be able to control myself."

Violet smiled. It wasn't a mischievous smile like earlier, just a genuine smile. "Well, I'll tell you what: how about we take the shower, but you keep your boxers on."

Bryce sighed. "All right. It's not like I could win a fight against you anyway." He stepped into the shower and held his hand out to help her. She gingerly placed her paw in his hand as she stepped inside as well. Putting her paw against the wall, Violet opened up a tray with soaps and shampoos on it, as well as a built in speaker with music.

"What the heck is that there for?" Bryce asked to no one in particular. "That's a bit…eccentric."

Violet laughed. "Maybe it's for people who like to sing in the shower."

This brought both of them into hysterics. "Might as well make use if it I guess." She scrolled through the options to the right of the speaker.

_Boys Like Girls- Two is Better Than One (Slow Tempo) (1)(2)_

Violet leaned against him as the song played. The two slowly waltzed back and forth in place in a slow dance. Leaning her head against Bryce's shoulder, Violet sighed happily. Bryce closed his eyes, as if he was in a dream. The song progressed and they had long since been soaked from head to toe. After the second verse, Bryce looked down at his Lucario soul mate. Her eyes were closed, a big smile on her face while her arms wrapped around him.

"Violet?"

"Yeah?"

He gulped. "I want to promise you something."

"Sure, what?"

"I don't know what this job is going to be like or what to expect from it, but I promise…when we're a little older and once my job settles down… or once we can support ourselves without any outside help…I…I want to get married and start a family."

Violet's eyes widened. "Do…do you really mean it?"

He took in a breath and let it out slowly. "I do. I love you, and I know I won't find anyone else."

Violet was ecstatic. Even though Bryce had been with her a long time, she wasn't sure if he wanted to make a commitment, not because he didn't love her, but he never had anyone before her. "Of course!" She smiled, her tail wagging happily. She leaned forward and kissed him lovingly before breaking away and giving him a big hug. Bryce held her back, tears in the corner of his eyes. He was glad she felt the same way as him and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Knowing Violet, Bryce knew that she would say yes, but he was still scared to ask. After all of this time, Bryce was amazed at how far he had come…from being a loner, closed off from the world because he felt rejected by it, never wanted anything more than to find something…but now, he was with the most beautiful girl in the world, able to support her, had friends, learned more about himself, trusted people…and he was proud of himself.

Violet broke the kiss and saw the tears in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…it's just…after all that we've been through, I just saw the changes it brought in me, and…for the first time, I'm proud of who I am."

This made Violet start to cry to. That was one of the biggest things she had tried to help him accomplish, and now he was proud of himself, believed in himself. "I'm proud of you too."

"Yeah, but always have been." Bryce smiled.

She smiled back. "True. Come on, let's actually get cleaned up now."

The two finished their shower and Bryce redressed. As both emerged into the living room, Rio looked over at them.

"Where have you two been?"

"Sorry captain." Bryce said apologetically.

"Don't call me that. I'm still Rio."

"Okay, but still, it won't happen again."

Violet looked up at him, smiling slyly. "It won't?"

Rio laughed as Bryce turned a shade of red. "No wait, it wasn't like that…ah forget it."

Violet smiled, kissing him quickly. "Oh, I doubt you'd want to forget it either."

I'll be doing this for anytime I want a song in my story without breaking the rules by posting lyrics. Basically, it would just set the tone better if you listened to it while reading.

There isn't a slow tempo version, so if you want it, then download Audacity (it's free) and import that song from Itunes or wherever into it. Then go to "Effect" and "Change Tempo". Pretty self-explanatory from there.

_Author's Notes: Hopefully due to my new schedule, updates will be quicker. The better schedule is a funny story, and since I haven't talked to you in a long time, I'll tell it. Our school is like college, you can take some classes there and some at home or with another teacher outside of school instead of going full time. One of my friends is a senior, and she asked if she could still go across the stage and get her homeschool diploma. Originally, our principal said yes, then changed it six weeks before winter break. She was upset and posted, "Our principal needs to make sure he's telling us the right things so we can plan our stuff." (That is the actual quote). Several other kids (myself included) agreed, because he has made many bad decisions in the past, and doesn't listen to any parents because they can't say anything and there's nobody above him (school is too small for a district supervisor or anything). So all of the kids who the principal likes said that we couldn't say anything bad about the school's decisions, AND they told the principal and he got the senior girl expelled, which is total BS because we have 1) 1__st__ amendment (freedom of speech), 2) Consumer Rights (if you are paying for a product or school or anything, you have the right to complain respectfully, which our comments were), and it was on facebook, meaning it was outside of school. So most of the kids who defended her either also got expelled or quit before that could happen (fortunately, I sent in my withdrawal papers before getting kicked out), so now I don't have class Monday or Friday. Talk about a HUGE weekend. My classes are: Tuesday- History with my mom, Algebra 2 with a teacher who USED to work at the school I USED to go to, Wednesday- Homework for those classes and English with another teacher who USED to work at that school, and Thursday- Algebra 2, history, and Advanced Biology with a few friends, and it's just watching videos and writing synopsis (what the plural is, I don't know). I also take Psychology online. So basically my weekend is from Friday at around noon to Tuesday at one thirty. Yep :D._

_Anyway, moving to the actual summary… what will Bryce's teammates be like? What will be their first mission? Will Bryce and Violet get married eventually? Most of all, will I ever get better at updating? Find out next time! _

_PS: Keep sending in comments and reading. Thanks for being cool about not updating a lot. _


	36. Chapter 36: Test Your Might

Chapter 36: Test Your Might

Bryce, Violet, Rio, and even Staravia were sitting on the couches, waiting for the rest of the team to arrive.

"Do you two always play on those contraptions this often?" Rio asked, slightly bored.

"Apparently not enough, because I'm doing very badly right now." Bryce responded, his eyes not leaving the screen. He and Violet were playing Mario Kart DS, and they were tied in points, going into Rainbow Road. Bryce was going into the loop as he got sent flying off while he was upside-down from a red shell.

"Dang it V! I fall for that every time!"

Violet let out a maniacal laugh. Bryce paused the game and slowly turned to her.

"…Okay, THAT was creepy."

He turned off the pause and started to catch up. Eventually, they were neck and neck as they crossed the finish line. There was an eerie silence as the times appeared.

At the same time, they both yelled, "We TIED?"

The game went to the award ceremony, where Toad was on the number one spot.

Violet laughed as Bryce stared blankly at the screen. "What the- what?" Then it hit him. "Aw, I just got Luigi'd!" (1) He sighed. "Fine game, have it your way." (2)

A portal appeared in front of the group, and Grovyle stepped out.

"Did we get a few more teammates?" He asked, looking at Violet and Staravia.

Rio shook his head. "Not quite, but I'll explain once Haunter and Quilava get here. In the meantime I'll show you to your room."

Nodding, Grovyle picked up his stuff. Strapping his guitar on his back, he grabbed the other two bags, one in each hand.

"You're a guitarist?" Bryce asked.

"Yeah, have been for almost five years." Grovyle responded as he walked out with Rio. No sooner had they left had another portal appeared with Quilava emerging. Looking at Staravia and Violet, his eyes narrowed. He looked at Bryce.

"Well?"

"Rio said he'd explain once everyone got here. He's showing Grovyle to his room."

"…Very well."

Standing up, he started walking towards the northern hallway. "While we're waiting on Haunter, I'll show you where your room is."

Quilava nodded, picking up his belongings and following Bryce down the hallway. As they walked towards the bedrooms, Bryce got the feeling that Quilava was glaring at him. He wasn't surprised though, he had narrowly defeated him in the contest. As they drew near the door, Bryce turned around and opened the door. "I trust you know how to design the room?"

He nodded.

"Alright, then I'll meet you back in the living room."

Eyes not leaving Bryce's, he nodded again before disappearing into the room as Bryce walked back into the living room. "Haunter still not here yet?"

Rio shook his head. "Strange, I'd imagined it wouldn't ta-"

"take very long for me to get here?"

Rio jumped as Haunter and Violet laughed.

*Geez, those two could make an evil tag-team mastermind.* Bryce thought.

_A few minutes later:_

Everyone had found their rooms and gotten everything situated. Bryce and the rest of the group were back in the living room where Rio stood in front of them.

"Okay, first things first. Violet and Staravia aren't officially part of the team, but they will be staying here. They're friends of mine and there's more than enough room here."

Bryce almost sighed in relief. He thought there might be a chance he would announce why they were here. No one had objected to it, whether because they didn't care or they didn't want to create friction, Bryce wasn't sure.

"…so, I received our assignments for the next week," Rio continued, "and there are several exercises, both individual and team, that we need to complete before then. If everyone is ready, I'd like to get started now."

The team nodded, and they rose and headed off to the portal room. Bryce winked at Violet as they left. She smiled at his disappearing figure.

As they walked into the room, Bryce noticed there was a new portal available. Everyone walked into it as the light consumed them…

They all appeared in a room that was solid white and a lone computer in the corner. Rio put his hand on the recognizer.

"**Select participants." **A computerized voice said. Digital pictures of Rio, Bryce, Quilava, Haunter and Grovyle appeared on the screen. Rio selected all of the pictures and hit finish.

"**Select level."** The same voice said. The numbers one through five appeared, however this time all of the numbers except one were grayed out, signaling that they were unavailable to be selected. Rio chose the only option as the format of the area changed…

The team was now in a dark hallway with lights every few feet, creating little pools of light. There was a turn to the right at the end, and nobody appeared to be here.

"Okay, so how do we go about this?" Grovyle asked.

"Haunter, can you fly up and check out the surrounding view?" Rio asked.

Nodding, Haunter began to float higher and higher, until a loud electrical noise was heard before he fell back down, covered in smoke. Coughing, he said with a now scratched voice, "Okay, I'm not trying THAT again."

"Looks like we're going to have to just play it by ear." Rio said. They began walking down the hallway. As he was about to turn the corner, Haunter grabbed him and pulled him back. "I hear noises."

Careful to not be spotted, Haunter peered around the corner. "Drones."

Haunter was correct. There were two sentry drones patrolling the next hallway, which seemed to curve around.

"Okay, let's assume if they spot us before we can defeat them, then we'll lose." Rio said.

Haunter continued to look at the drones. "Looks like they have pretty weak defenses. If we could just get one good hit on them before they spot us, they'll go down instantly."

Bryce examined the hallway and noticed a crevasse with a yellow book hiding within it. "I just might have an idea. Haunter, got anything to stop the drones from seeing for a minute?"

He nodded, pulling out a few smoke balls and a detonator.

"Perfect. Just distract them for a moment and I'll take care of the rest."

"They're not going to last long enough for you to beat both of them, and you don't have any tomes to use anyway."

"Not now, but I will."

Haunter smirked demonically. "All right, let's give it a shot."

_All That Remains- Two Weeks_

Haunter threw the smoke balls directly at the guards and detonated them as soon as they touched. Running as fast as he could, Bryce ran forward and grabbed the spell book. Just as he returned, the haze had cleared, and the guards were moving closer to the intersection where the team was hidden.

"Quickly, which of us is the fastest?" Bryce said.

Quilava stepped forward.

"Okay, it's now or never." Bryce focused his magic towards Quilava's feet, causing sparks to appear below his feet. "Good, now all we need is a weapon."

Haunter handed over some throwing knives and a short sword. "All I've got." He said.

"That'll do. Now just run and slash each one of 'em once."

Quilava sped around the corner with lightning speed and easily decapitated the first drone before immediately cutting the second one in half.

"Let's go." Rio said, and the whole team continued on.

The rest of the level was fairly simple. Just a few guards that Haunter, Bryce and Rio all took out at once, and they also picked up some weapons: two steel swords, fire and wind tomes, and a strong pair of iron boots.

Eventually the group reached a clearing with seven different pathways, each with a letter above them: Q, R, B, G, and H, along with a Δ logo and a FINAL along the two easternmost hallways.

After a quick survey, Rio turned to his team. "Split up. The first letter of your name is the path you take." He ran down the "R" path as Quilava, Bryce, and Grovyle ran down their correct paths.

"But what about the…and they're gone." Haunter sighed, going down the "H" path. (3)

Quilava stopped suddenly as the pathway reached a dead-end. As he turned, however, a red wall materialized, stopping him from progressing back. At the same moment, several shadowed warriors appeared. Quilava drew both of his swords, took up a fighting stance, and prepared for battle.

As we all know, Luigi is very commonly in Mario games, player two. Also, if two players tie in a racing game, usually player one is declared the winner and player two gets second. This is the Luigi syndrome aka Luigi'd, and thus proves, yet again, that Nintendo hates Luigi.

Please, no Burger King jokes. We all know it :P

No, Haunter will not be the "joke player" of the group (unless I just feel like it, but as of now, no).

_Author's Notes: Well, it's been a while, readers. First thing to cover: why there have been no updates. I'm currently under the wonderful luck of having my entire family go from 3 cars to 1. (My dad wrecked one, yes he's fine, and my cousin is a freeloader and he "borrowed" our other one.) Second, I might have mentioned this before, but last October I passed out and my mom went psycho and had me checked for blood pressure EVERYWHERE we went. Like the dentist. Seriously. I got an EKG and recently an echo test (which weren't painful, seeing my heart in the echo was kind of cool) at 16, and 'yall, that's pretty dang scary. I'm about 90% sure that it's just blood pressure, which isn't terrible, but it is still something to keep a monitor on. Haven't got all of my results back yet. I know, excuses, but hey, I'm still alive and kickin'. I also turned 17 a few days ago (February 15), so that was cool. If you couldn't see the triangle like logo on FanFiction, I apologize about that, but it will be explained in a later chapter. If you can, who knows? You might know what it is. I'll go over stuff I want you all to reply to in the comments in the next part (which were both finished at the same time, but I decided to split into 2 parts so you could see the new chapter update and then get 2 chapters at once). Rock on brothers (and sisters :P) And as always, thanks for your continued support of this story!_

_-DeltaViolet21_


	37. Chapter 37: On The Path

Chapter 37: On the Path

_**THERE WAS A CHAPTER REPLACED BEFORE THIS, SO MAKE SURE YOU READ IT BEFORE OR THIS WON'T MAKE SENSE.**_

Immediately, half of the warriors lunged forward at him. Jumping into the sky, he destroyed three of the ones who attacked from above before performing a downward stab into the middle of the group, Quilava took out almost all of them by combining the stab with his fire abilities.

There were only five of the warriors left. Three of them formed a triangle around Quilava, but before they could do anything, Quilava held his sword out in front of him and started spinning quickly in a circle until a gale formed around him. Once he reached the maximum power for the tornado, he let go of his sword, aiming at the far left warrior. He dodged the projectile, but the two shadows watching in the background were taken out before the sword wedged itself in the far wall.

With only three of the phantoms left, Quilava shone red before two clones of himself, each with only one sword, appeared. The last three phantoms all charged at a different version of him. The one on the left took a large horizontal slice at the clone of Quilava, but he fell back on the ground and used his legs to send him soaring into the air before slashing him twice before he fell onto the ground head first, defeated. The second shadow was fighting the second clone, and he was using a sword as well. They exchanged blows over and over before the phantom managed to get a light kick in on Quilava. He slid back a few inches before standing back up to full height. Sheathing his sword, he smirked evilly at the phantom. Grunting, the shadow charged at him and started to perform a vertical slash. Quilava bent over, his back touching the floor before he reached forward and grabbed the sword with his bare hands. Caught off guard, the phantom relaxed his grip long enough for Quilava to twist the sword into his own hands and impale the shadow, defeating him.

By now, the final shadow was completely defenseless. Quilava started lightly stabbing him over his body. As he continued, the power of each hit grew stronger and stronger. After nineteen constitutive hits, the phantom had been completely paralyzed as Quilava charged his sword in red flame and swung in a home-run fashion, sending the last enemy soaring into the sky. The barrier surrounding Quilava disappeared. "Pathetic." After Quilava pulled his other sword out of the wall, he fused back together with his clones and ran back to the main area.

Rio reached the end of his hallway and saw a gigantic puzzle with a switch at the very end. As he tried to press the switch, an electric barrier formed around the puzzle, except at the very front of the start. Looking through the maze to find the pattern, Rio launched an Aura Sphere and used his aura to guide it through the puzzle to hit the switch. The barrier faded. "That was way too easy." Rio said as he ran back.

Bryce ran to the end of his hallway, where the path curved to the right with a wall that looked as if it would lower. Bryce looked to the side of the hall and saw symbols of wind, fire, and dark. He touched the fire icon and it faded away, leaving a fire spell in its stead. The wall also lowered, showing targets moving horizontally behind a wall of water moving the other direction, with small square patches with no water. Studying the wall for a few seconds, Bryce started launching fireballs at the targets. Most of the targets were destroyed, however, the final one didn't break even though the projectile was a clean hit. Bryce closed his eyes before holding his hands up and drawing slow circles before stepping back while spinning once before launching another fireball, which this time not only destroyed the target, but sent up a small wall of flame. Bryce looked at his handiwork.

"Nice."

**Weapon Level Up: Fire: E-D. Elfire is now available!**

The fire tome vanished from his hand just like the thunder tome did. A target appeared beside where the books were. Bryce slammed the button with his fist, completing his challenge. He started to run back, but then returned. "Hmm…" Pressing the buttons for the wind and dark tomes, they both appeared. Taking both and storing them, he ran back to his team.

Grovyle had long since gotten started on his challenge. After wall jumping as best he could, he could see the button within reach, but in his way was a small balance beam. He started to quickly walk along it, but as he reached the halfway mark, several of the well-hidden lasers started firing upon him. Grovyle quickly did a hand spring, narrowly avoiding the two machines. As he landed a few feet in front of the button, the lasers tried one last barrage, but this time he was ready for them as he switched quickly to holding himself with his hands as his foot spun quickly, flashing with a metal like gleam. Both shots were deflected and rebounded upon the machines, destroying them as Grovyle pressed the button, jumping back down and leaving the area.

Haunter floated slowly through the hallway. The button was in plain sight, however he could clearly see the entire hall was booby-trapped. As he reached the three quarter mark, the floor gave way and revealed a pit of spikes. Haunter laughed. "What idiot designed this? As if a ground obstacle could hurt me." No sooner had he finished saying this, a fan from above sent a huge gale in his direction. "Oh…well, crap.(1)"

After barely managing to escape the blast, a magnet came forth from the side wall, jerking away all of Haunter's knives, chain, and any other gear he had, even if it wasn't magnetized.

"Okay, seriously, WHAT is going on." He sighed. He then noticed a blue barrier formed behind him as a red and blue phantom appeared in front of him. Glancing back at the barrier, he smirked, disappearing into the floor. Confused, the phantoms looked around before the red one let out a cry and his eyes turned an evil red. (2)

The blue phantom, realizing what happened, charged his blade and sliced his now lost companion straight in two. Sadly for him, Haunter left his body just before the impact. Once again, Haunter disappeared and reappeared in front of the barrier. "Bring it on." He smirked. Now that the blue specter felt like a fool, he let out a massive battle cry and charged with all of his might at Haunter. Haunter laughed and disappeared a final time, sending the blue idiot into the barrier, instantly beating him. "Moron." Haunter chuckled as he pressed the final button.

As everyone met up, the door with the Δ logo opened and another onslaught of enemies appeared. The all charged with malice in their souls, fighting for their departed comrades.

_Three minutes later…_

The final phantom hit the ground hard as he disappeared in a smoke. No sooner had he been vanquished did the FINAL doorway open. "Let's go." Rio said. The rest of the group nodded, and they all stepped through the doorway.

As everyone reached the final hallway, the door closed behind them and a massive timer at the end of the hallway appeared, and two barriers blocked their path. They ran to the first one, which was a light barrier. Bryce pulled out the dark tome and began to feel its power. The darkness appeared as a blob before sinking into the floor and rising up in a wall of its own before it consumed the light, breaking barrier number one. The dark tome faded as the second area revealed itself. The key was on the other side of the area behind a massive lava pit. "Does anyone have a key that looks like that lock?" Rio asked.

"Right here." Quilava said, brandishing his sword.

"I've got an idea. Quilava, throw your sword into the air. Grovyle, if you can time a kick correctly, then you should be able to send it into the lock."

Quilava threw the sword as high as it would go as Grovyle took up a fighting stance and prepared. Right as the sword got near him, it gleamed. Grovyle smirked, giving the sword a powerful kick from the pommel on the edge of the hilt, sending the sword skyrocketing straight into the lock, closing up the lava trap and breaking the second barrier. As they reached the door at the very end, the last part of the hall rose up and barriers formed, preventing the team from working together. "What a pathetic trick." Haunter said as he floated up to the top. Bryce used the wind spell, levitating himself to the top as well. Quilava backed up slightly and quickly sprinted his way up the wall. Rio and Grovyle simply wall jumped their way up as they finished the stage.

Don't worry, there's not a lot of swearing in this story. It's not very common, so don't worry if you're not too comfortable with it.

Haunter possessed him. Duh. :P

_Author's Notes: Okay, hopefully you got my note at the beginning of this and read through it and all. So, about what I want you guys to comment on:_

_I know for a fact there will be one other training mission, but how much of the training practices and actual missions do you want? The way I'm taking this story, the ACTUAL plot could start 2 chapters from now. Not kidding. HOWEVER, I am more than willing to take time to talk about the development of the powers for everyone and more teamwork concepts (and if you have ideas for attacks/techniques, then by all means tell me, but message it to me so you don't give it away for others)_

_I'm still not 100% on Haunter's character development. I've got a good idea, but more thoughts are still welcome (and now you have a little more idea of what he's about)._

_Is there any way to tell how many people have followed your story? I know at a certain mark in both the story and the amount of readers, I'd like to have a poll or two._

_If you have any titles about training that you find witty or funny, please send them. I'm at a loss currently :P_

_I guess that's about it. So…will the rest of the training go as smoothly? Are any of the new recruits holding a dark secret? What awaits our heroes in the future? Find out…in the next chapter. _

_Read and Review, and once again, thank you ALL for your support :)_

_-DeltaViolet21_


	38. Chapter 38: AuraofIce

Chapter 38: AuraofIce (1)

"**Level Complete. New stages unlocked." **

The team had returned to the almost empty room, but now there was more than a solitary computer. The machine had now split into five separate devices, each linked into a pentagon of a sort, and each was distinguished with different patterns and colors to prove they belonged to each member. Bryce stepped forward along with the rest of the team as they all examined each of their machines. After they all unlocked the recognition code with their handprints, all of the computers connected. From what Bryce could see, there was a huge set of missions. There were five different tabs currently open: Individual, with one, with two, with three, and team. Quickly, Bryce chose team. There were ten levels, most of which appeared to be locked, judging by the fact that they were grayed out. The mission they had just completed was green, and the new one unlocked was red. Going back and checking individual, only the level one mission was available for him. After a quick look over the rest, it seemed that only level one was accessible on all of the missions except for the level two team mission.

"If everyone's up for another mission, there's a shuffle button on my screen. I'm guessing that'll pair us into random groups."

Everyone seemed to be in agreement, so Rio hit the shuffle as the area's light consumed them all…

Bryce opened his eyes and immediately began shivering.

"Great, I hate the cold." A response came from his right.

Looking around Bryce noticed that other than himself and Grovyle, the place appeared to be deserted. It also appeared that they were trapped in what looked like a metallic igloo of sorts. There was a window with snow blowing into the area, and the door appeared to be frozen shut. Bryce began checking the walls and floors.

"What exactly are you doing?" Grovyle asked.

"There's not a puzzle that's unsolvable…at least not this early." He replied.

Moving to the window, he wiped the snow that had collected on the wall, revealing a brick that wasn't colored like the rest. Pressing the block in, Bryce heard a small click, causing one of the walls to glow red with a gigantic mess of text.

"I've seen this kind of text before. This is what tomes use."

Grovyle looked skeptical. "…and you can read it?"

"Yeah, I've never studied the actual language, but I can read it as if it were in English." He replied, starting to translate the wall.

"Finding your center can be a true test, once completed head to the west. Along the way past horrors you'll find, but the level can be won with the power of the mind." (2) He paused. "There's also the same symbol from the last challenge: that strange triangle like shape."

As Bryce was translating the text, Grovyle went to the center of the room and tapped the tile underneath him with his foot.

"Sounds different from the rest." He said before kicking the tile, breaking it and revealing a lever. Pulling it, they turned to see one of the walls give way, revealing a set of coats, a fire spell book, and a pole staff.

"Hallelujah!" Grovyle said, taking one of the coats and instantly putting it on. Bryce took the other one and wore it as well. His robes were fairly warm, but the coat made the blizzard much more bearable.

"I didn't realize you used staves as well." Bryce commented, taking the fire tome.

He nodded, taking the weapon. "Gotta get some upper body strength in, but punches never feel as powerful as kicks. Besides, you can pull off some decent wall combos with these."

Bryce carefully used the fire spell to unfreeze the door by putting his hand up against it and using a small moderation of the magic. "Okay, let's go."

He opened the door, expecting to be hit with a massive wave of ice and snow, but instead there was a staircase leading down into the darkness. While it would be better than traveling through a blizzard, Bryce had seen enough horror, mystery and suspense movies and games. There was definitely something lurking around in there. Grovyle started in as Bryce lit up his hands to make a light source. The place leveled out after the staircase. It seemed to be a straight line for a little while. Continuing on, they came to a small intersection with three ways to go.

"West." Grovyle said. He looked up at the sunroof of sorts. The sun looked as if it were about to set in half an hour. He set the staff right in the center of the light. The shadow crept in one direction. "Left is west." He replied. Bryce nodded and the two continued on.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Grovyle finally spoke. "How long have you known Rio?"

The question caught Bryce off guard, but he answered honestly. "I've only met him twice before. He's a really good guy. He left his entire group of family just to do the right thing, even if he didn't know what that would turn into at the time."

He nodded. "What about his girlfriend?"

"Who?"

"You know, that other Lucario. The one with purple eyes."

Before Bryce had the chance to respond with either a lie or the honest truth, he heard a scuttling of feet behind him. "What was that?" He quickly said, though he had a bad feeling he already knew what it was.

They turned around. "Nothing's there. You're hearing things." He said as they continued on. Grovyle either didn't hear the noise or was in denial, but Bryce knew someone or something was following them. Another sound escaped the darkness.

"Dude, SOMETHING is following us." Bryce said.

"Okay, look, I don't know what's got you going crazy, but…" he was caught off by a drop of water falling onto the sleeve of the coat. They both looked up and were face to face with a gigantic spider.

As the spider fell onto the floor and gathered its bearings, all Grovyle heard was a long string of swear words followed by twenty-seven fireballs launched at the spider.

"STOP! IT'S DEAD!" He finally managed to shout over Bryce.

Bryce's adrenaline finally wore off as he saw what remained of the corpse of the arachnid. "Sorry about that." He said.

*Yep, Twilight Princess is definitely going down several places in my ranking now.* He thought. (3)

They continued on until they started seeing true horrors. Blood began to appear on the walls, splattered all over the place, including that triangle symbol again. Then corpses started littering the floor. Bryce recognized several of them: his parents, the rest of the team…even Violet, but there were others as well. Bryce assumed they were friends and family of Grovyle. Since there was no way that the fake corpses were actually them, Bryce continued on. It was spooky, but Bryce and Grovyle just pushed it out of their minds and continued onward. They eventually reached a trap door. Opening it, they were greeted by a huge wave of snow and cold. As they fully walked outside, the duo realized they were in an unprotected fortress made out of mostly wood. It looked like a giant log cabin without a roof. No sooner had they realized where they were…then what looked like a giant gorilla turned around him.

They weren't focused on the white fur or the crystal in its head, but instead what it carried in its arms. The creature tossed the body aside, sending it tumbling through the snow into one of the wooden walls. Before Bryce could do anything, Grovyle took off straight for the body. Sighing, he distracted the beast with a fireball straight into his chest, sending him into the guard tower opposite Grovyle and the body he was now standing over. Whoever it was, Grovyle seemed to be frozen in place. He couldn't do anything. Running over to him through the increasing blizzard, Bryce grabbed him and shook him.

"It's not real. Whoever that is to you is only an illusion."

He couldn't respond. He just stood there with the same look of horror. Finally, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"All right, how do we beat this thing?" Grovyle finally asked as soft as he could over the storm.

"Judging by the crystal in his head, that's his weak point. A couple of weak attacks or one clean hit should be able to defeat him." A huge gust of wind caused the temperature to drop further. "I'd suggest the latter so we can end this quickly."

He nodded. "I've got an idea, provided you can use the fire spell on me without it hurting me."

The yeti-like creature had finally managed to free itself from the tower's rubble. It charged for Grovyle, but he used the staff and knocked it off its feet before jumping skyward.

"Now!" he yelled to Bryce, who ignited the staff with fire before it landed square into the creature's forehead, shattering the crystal. The monster let out a howl before it vaporized, along with the fortress, ice, and the team of two.

A friend of mine has this youtube username. Couldn't think of a good title. Sorry :P

The single crappiest rhyme on the face of the world. I completely made it up in about 20 seconds :P

Okay, I've got to explain this mini-story. I was playing Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess at about 2am. I went into the first temple (forest temple) and was looking for the monkeys (part of the dungeon mechanic). I knew there was one in an area where you had to burn some webs and fall down the right hole. I killed one of the Skulltulas and chose and incorrect path. There was another Skulltula down there that didn't do much. I defeated it and started to use the camera to look around. Looking straight up, one of those blasted things FELL ON TOP of me. Scared the crap out of me and now I have a fear of spiders when they're gigantic. Fortunately that doesn't ever occur outside of videogames.

_Author's Notes: Another update finally! I seriously need to update more. Good news though: I am working on another story, which may or may not be posted all at once. Won't be as long as this one, but still a fair amount. I was going to make this chapter a little longer, but this'll work for now. Besides, I have the title and outline for the next chapter ready. So… who was Grovyle paralyzed over? Will any more giant spiders get more than incinerated by Bryce? And what is that weird symbol? Find out two of those questions next time. This has been DeltaViolet21, and I will see you in the next one. Later _

_Oh, REALLY IMPORTANT! HOW MANY MORE LEVELS DO YOU GUYS WANT? NONE OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES ARE IMPORTANT FOR PLOT PROGRESSION, BUT IF YOU LIKE 'EM I'LL KEEP DOING THEM, BUT IF YOU DON'T CARE, I CAN MOVE ON WITH THE PLOT. SO LEAVE A REVIEW OF WHICH YOU'D RATHER HAVE._

_-DV21_


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